A Soldier's Life
by iRiot.Light
Summary: Read as CPO Spartan 117 grows & learns. Read about his life, comrades & a special OC. This is Master Chief's childhood. This will take place in the Fall Of Reach so SPOILERS for people who haven't read. Permanent Hiatus. Sorry. No inspiration for this.
1. Chapter 1

**­DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN HALO, ANYTHING WITH A STAR WILL BE MENTIONED AT THE END OF EACH CHAPTER…**

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CHAPTER 1

1130 Hour, August 17, 2517 (Military Calendar)

Eridanus Star System, Eridanus 2, Elysium City

Lieutenant Jacob Keyes and Dr. Catherine Halsey stood, in casual civilian clothes studying their subject—at least that's what Dr. Halsey was doing. Jacob Keyes was merely a body guard for the woman, on their _mission_ which Keyes had no information on. Until of course they had come here and the doctor decided to explain what they were doing and why she had chosen him specifically. Apparently the lieutenant could keep secrets better than anyone else in the USNC.

They were standing in a school yard supposedly touring the school for their little girl. They were actually supposed to study a little boy. A little boy who possessed rare genetic markers that would make them suitable for Dr. Halsey's experiment, the SPARTAN-II program. This program would turn the children who had those markers into super soldiers. Six year old John was one of 150 children who possessed this marker, and they were going to meet one more boy after John.

John and some other boys were playing a game on top of a tall hill. John was standing on top tackling the boys who dared to try and take the top spot.

"What are they doing?" Keyes asked.

"King of the Hill, a civilian game that young boys play," Halsey explained. She walked over to the bottom of the hill and called John down. Keyes followed behind her.

"Hello little boy," she greeted, when he had made it down. "What's your name?"

"John," he answered.

"What were you doing?" she asked pretending to be curious.

"Winning," John replied as a huge smile spread across his face.

"Well," the doctor started. "Do like games?" John nodded. "Well so do I," Halsey said taking a coin out of her purse, and showed it to John. John examined it carefully.

"What kind of game?" he asked jittering with excitement.

"Well, I'm going to flip this coin, and you try to guess which side it lands on before it falls back into my hand. If you win you can keep it, but if you lose then I keep the coin ok?" John nodded and stared at the old American coin. "Here I go!" she said flipping the coin.

"Heads." John said as Halsey caught the coin in her hand. The doctor opened her hand to find that it was heads. She gave John the coin and let him go back to play with his friends. He ran back to them holding the coin up high in his right hand and calling for his friends to see.

"Was it luck?" Keyes asked.

Halsey shrugged. "I don't know, but luck isn't needed for this project." She turned and walked away, Keyes following her again. They would defiantly use John; she didn't think it was luck at all.

"Now, we go onto the next boy," she declared once they had reached their ship, the _Han_. She took out some papers and began to read them, while Keyes had started the ship. Keyes was tempted to ask who they were supposed to meet next but since it wasn't in his position he kept his mouth shut.

"The new boy we're about to meet is quite the person. Clyde Miyazaki, he's only five but apparently his mind compares to those of a 'dumb' AI. He plays quite a few sports, can fight; can shoot a paintball gun/rifle/pistol with no problem and quite the computer tech. Looks like the perfect kid. Though it seems that way he has…problems. He has insomnia, and doesn't show his emotions often. The stubborn little brat never looses an argument. The reason I'm telling you this is because I want you to know about the subject before we meet him. So read these papers and study them," Halsey explained passing the papers over to Keyes.

Keyes stared at the picture of the young, Japanese boy; he had messy, black hair with silver streaks and pale skin but most curious of all he had one blue eye and the other one black, contacts perhaps but maybe not. He started to read about the boy's past life. He had been kidnapped at the age of four and was held for 5 months until the kidnapper sent the ransom for ten thousand dollars. He had been tortured during that time and was given to the parents but had many scratches and bruises on his body. His parents were murdered by the same kidnapper a few weeks and he was to live with his aunt and uncle, who neglected the boy. Clyde had spent the five months he spent with them in a dark cellar, sometimes not let out and fed for weeks. His uncle had often taken out his anger on Clyde, so Clyde had received several beatings. He had been let out when his uncle and aunt were arrested, thanks to a close by neighbor who had heard Clyde screaming one night during one of his uncle's beatings. Now the boy lived in an orphanage on the opposite side of the planet where they had found John.

"We'll be there in a couple of minutes," Keyes said after finishing the boy's biography. Halsey nodded and told the AI, Toran, to start playing Beethoven's 5th symphony. After about twenty minutes, both the lieutenant and the doctor had changed into different civilian clothes. Keyes was uncomfortable just as the first time he had worn civilian clothes. It was too casual, then again he was in the Navy, and he was used to wearing uniforms. They were going to Mac Masters Orphanage otherwise known as MMO. This orphanage was a Japanese orphanage even if it had an American name. It was an orphanage turn school, quite a few of those even back then. They had soon entered the orphanage and asked to see if they could see the list of children who lived there, in consideration for adopting one of them. They flipped through the list and first chose Clyde then a few other children as to not look suspicious.

"If you want to see Clyde he's probably outside in the tennis courts, playing a senior if not, he's in his room on the third floor. Oh and if he wont let you, in if he's in his room that is, just call me."

"Ok thanks," Halsey said.

"Oh and one last thing…Clyde…he doesn't take to people easily, so I'm sorry if he disappoints you," the woman said looking down at her feet. "We really do care about him, we just wish that he would adapt to people easier."

"Don't worry, I think he'll like us," Keyes said reassuringly.

They walked out through the backdoor leading to the schools. The whole place was enormous. There was the elementary school, the junior high school and last the high school. There were children playing everywhere in the elementary school yard and since there weren't any tennis courts there they tried the junior high school.

"No luck here either huh?" Keyes asked. Halsey shook her head and went on towards the high school, courts. There were lots of people playing there, including a peculiar pair of players. One was small the other one was the regular height of a high school student. They walked toward the court containing the two players and once arriving heard mumbles and whispers of disappointment.

"When will that _gaki_ learn not to play here?"

"Who's he playing this time?"

"Is he using his good hand?"

"Match point, that _gaki_ can play." Keyes and Halsey walked through the crowds to see what they were talking about. They stared at the two playing tennis. One was defiantly a high school student the other an elementary.

"Point Miyazaki! Game and match, Miyazaki, Clyde!" the referee called after the last point.

"Good game." Clyde said tipping his hat.

"Shut the hell up you _gaki_!" the senior said grabbing the younger boy's shirt. "Why don't you play with your right hand, think you're too good for us huh?"

"Please don't do anything you'll regret Hidero-san," Clyde said still staring at the senior.

"Should we stop this?" Keyes asked Halsey. She shook her head.

"Let's see what he'll do."

"If you don't need your right hand then let me get rid of it for you!" Hidero cried out swinging the tennis racquet towards Clyde's right hand.

"_Mada Mada Dane._" Clyde said blocking the attack with his own racquet. "Please be careful, you could hurt someone by doing that." Clyde walked away leaving the startled high school students staring at Hidero's hand which no longer held the racquet.

"Where the hell do you think you're going _shounen_?" Hidero called out.

"I'm hungry…so I'm going to find something to eat," he replied in a drawling voice. "Later."

Keyes and Halsey followed him and griped his right wrist turning him around.

"Hmm?" he said startled at the sudden action. "Oh… Can I help you?" Clyde asked.

"Yes, we'd like to talk to you. Is there any place we can speak in private?" Halsey asked. Clyde nodded.

"My room, follow me, but let me get something to eat first," he said walking towards a candy machine. "Hmm…" he said looking at the vending machine. "Got it…ok lets go."

Keyes and Halsey followed the young boy back into his room. The room was small. It contained a washroom on the right wall, a computer, television, bed, chair, desk all the basics. The walls were covered with papers containing writing in Japanese, Portuguese, English, French, Russian, Romanian, Greek, and Spanish. There were sports equipment, and trophies; littering a small corner. Otherwise the room was clean.

"Take a seat wherever there's space. Now what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked turning on his computer.

"Well, we were thinking of adopting you," Keyes answered. "We'd like to get to know you better."

"You know the basics already hmm? Like name, age, hobbies and past?" Keyes nodded. "Well then that's all you need to know."

"How about your personality?"

"Why don't you figure that out for yourselves…lieutenant." Keyes eyes widened as he was called by his Navy rank. "Tell me why your really here doctor, and please don't attempt to lie, I know everything. The project, the children and who you really are. I want to know more about this so called SPARTAN-II project."

"How did you know about that?" Halsey asked attempting to keep her voice calm. "That's top secret and only I know the passwords to get into that file."

"Well you see after finishing my doctorate and psychology studies I was bored. So I decided to see what the Navy was going to do about the rebels. Seems like you guys are losing and, since I'm on your side that means I'm losing, and I hate to lose."

"Doctorate and psychology studies, as in university studies?" Keyes asked. Clyde nodded and started to type in his computer. Clyde told them to come closer as to see what was on the computer screen.

"See here? Yeah… you need to fix that hole in your security and possibly put an AI in. Not a dumb AI of course, a smart one would be sufficient, though it still wouldn't stop me from getting into your files, doctor."

"I see…" hummed Halsey. Keyes grabbed the boy's collar and raised him from the chair.

"You know _boy_ you could be jailed for doing something like this. How many times have you been into Navy files?"

"Couple dozen…Now please let go of my shirt…you're wrinkling it." Keyes didn't let go.

"Come now Lieutenant, let him down. He hasn't caused us any harm, unless you've told anyone." Clyde shook his head.

"Actually, I've been improving things, like suggestions. Weapons, defense mechanisms even the uniform design…well actually the inside design anyway. Ever heard of Miles Rolland?" Keyes and Halsey nodded. Miles was a special officer; no one had ever seen him or even met him before in reality. He only interacted with the Navy through his computer. They've tried to find out where the signal was coming from but every single time they failed.

"Well, Miles Rolland is me. It's an alias. As I said before I don't like to lose and if the human race loses then I lose."

"The MAC gun was your creation then?" Keyes asked.

"Mmhmm, one of my best I think. I couldn't believe that you guys were actually using that toy."

"Meaning that you've already got a new one?"

"Yep, the plans are in my computer…thing is, as much as I hate to admit it, there are…flaws."

"What exactly are these 'flaws'?"

"Well I can't tell you that. That's restricted information that only I can know.

"What do you call this weapon?" Keyes asked.

"I dunno I get you guys to name it… the MAC gun came with no name, you guys named it."

"I see… ok well thanks…I guess," Keyes said. "We'll tell the Navy about your work, Clyde."

"No! The reason I kept myself a secret was as not to attract any attention! If you tell them now then I'm screwed!"

"Look you've cause so many budget losses—,"

"For the good of the human race," Clyde interrupted. "Budget over the humans…I think the decision is quite easy isn't it?" Keyes looked down at his feet.

"Well then lets go shall we?" Halsey said.

"Be my guests; oh and please take what I said about your security into mind. Don't want anyone else hacking into those sacred files do we?" Clyde said as they left.

"What are we going to do about him?" Keyes asked as soon as they had reached the _Han_.

"Absolutely nothing…for now, make sure you keep this boy a secret. We will continue the Spartan program with him. Now take us back to Reach, we're done." Keyes nodded, and told Toran to set the coordinates to get back to Reach. This was going to be a long ride.

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1: Gaki - brat

2: Mada Mada Dane - "you've still got a ways to go" or "no not yet"

3: shounen - kid or boy to be more precise


	2. Chapter 2

**I DO NOT OWN HaLo OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS...WELL EXCEPT FOR CLYDE HIM IS MINE TEEHEE, I 4GOT TO MENSION THAT THERE WILL PROBABLY BE MANY CROSSOVERS LIKE NO CHARACTERS FROM ANYTHING ELSE BUT I MEAN YOU GET TO SEE THEIR TECHNIQUES AND JUNK SO ENOUGH OF ME BABBLING AND... WELL LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

CHAPTER 2

2300 Hours, September 23, 2517 (Military Calendar)

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach Military Complex, planet Reach

Dr. Catherine Halsey and Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez stood in a large room waiting for the recruits for the SPARTAN program to enter. Mendez stood tall and rigid and Halsey in a more casual manner. After 10 more minutes the youth aging from four to six came in rubbing their eyes and yawning. They had been recently woken up from cryo sleep. With each child stood a Naval Drill Instructor, wearing camouflage patter fatigues and holding an electric baton. Haley's eyes moved from child to child and pausing slightly for Clyde, who was staring back at her and then averting his eyes to Mendez. He seemed bored and uninterested in the program…then again, who'd want to be interested. She'd let Keyes go after they had found Clyde. She almost felt sorry for the kids and the things they'd have to go through. _Almost._

Franklin Mendez was also looking at each child carefully examining them. He hadn't been told much about each child but he had been given papers, which he read, to know a little more about each and every one of them. The boy, Clyde, was quite peculiar. He was deceiving, a genius, liar, athletic and stubborn little boy. Mendez searched the group of children for a pair of uncanny mix matched eyes, one blue the other black. He found a boy standing stiffly looking at both him and Halsey with false fear and confusion. With blue and black eyes that is. Mendez looked at the boy carefully trying to go past the seemingly innocent eyes and to find the genius, deceiving eyes that hid underneath. Failing he moved on to the other children who really were as innocent as they appeared. Soon Halsey began to talk.

"You have been chosen to be part of the SPARTAN II program, a program which will turn you into super soldiers of the Earth and her colonies." Most children stood straighter and leaned in closer to hear, now interested in what she had to say. Clyde, however, didn't lean forward in awe, he continued to stand stiffly and had merely begun to pretend to look like he was interested by raising an eyebrow. "To get to this stage you will endure both physical and mental training that only you will receive. Now please rest up. Tomorrow you will begin." Each child was led away by their guard, none of them cried, Clyde being last.

"You," Mendez said pointing to Clyde. "Wait a minute. I want to speak with you privately." Clyde shrugged and was roughly brought to Mendez by his guard. "Tell me, what exactly are you capable of? I've read your papers so don't try and lie to me."

"I've no idea what you're talking about. Maybe you've got me confused with someone else," Clyde answered dropping the scared little kid act, and staring at Mendez with cold eyes.

"Fine then, I guess we'll find what you're made of during training."

"I doubt it," Clyde mumbled as he was led away, though loud enough for Mendez to hear. _This was going to be interesting_.

* * *

"Wake up recruits!" someone yelled in the large room containing the seventy five children. John yawned and refused to get up, until he felt a sharp electric pain running up his legs stopping right under his spine. He quickly got up and changed into the clothes he was given to wear. Not scared of the guards themselves, but fearful of another burst of pain given to him. He shut his thoughts up. He wasn't scared, only little kids were scared.

"Didn't you here me?! I said get up!" a guard was yelling over a bunk. The boy who was sleeping there lay lifeless, his eyes remained closed. It was as if he passed away in his sleep. Mendez himself walked over to the bunk.

"What the hell is happening here?" he asked, furiously.

"This brat won't get up!" the man replied. Mendez pulled the blankets off the boy and took the guards baton and gave the boy a shock. Nothing happened. The boy's chest wasn't even moving up and down like it should have. Mendez put a hand on this neck where the pulse should have been. _Should_. There was nothing there. Not even a small beat. He told the guard to carry the boy over to the hospital, and get treated by Halsey right away. The guard left and Mendez gave quick instructions to one of the other guards before going to follow the guard himself. Something wasn't right, but John couldn't think about it for long for they had started on a ten kilometer jog.

Mendez stared at the boy lying on the hospital bed. Clyde wasn't breathing, and responding to anything they did to him. Dead? Perhaps, but there were other possibilities considering the boy's intelligence. Halsey stepped into the room, holding a clipboard on one hand and a pen on the other.

"He's not dead. This is just the flash clone. The kinds we sent to replace the originals and die of natural death. This one just died its natural death. Maybe we should have just pretended to adopt him instead of steal him from the boy's washroom because that didn't turn out so well."

"That little brat actually got past us hmm?" Mendez asked. Halsey nodded. "Want me to go get him?" More nods from Halsey.

"It's best if you get…acquainted with him, to get to know him better. Please don't take too long and just pretend you're going to adopt him. Its going to be so much easier that way." It was Mendez's turn to nod.

"Don't worry, I'll be back in a couple of hours," he said turning to leave.

* * *

Clyde lay on his back hands behind his head wondering how the clone was doing. A laptop lay on his side table open if he ever thought of anything to make while he was half conscious. Usually there was nothing in it. Everything was usually deleted before he slept. It happened to him. The foolish guard had tried to kidnap him when he entered the boy's washroom, didn't work out so well for the guard. Instead the guard was knocked out with a hit to a pressure point. Clyde dragged him and the clone back to the vehicle that they arrived in and let the guard wake up on his own. The guard thought he had captured Clyde, but in all truth it was the clone. He grinned at his own devious plan. It was so simple yet so effective. He could just imagine the look on their faces when they found out that it was that clone. That is if they found out. Very big _if_. He turned to his side. He desperately wanted to see the sad faces and angry faces but he turned the thoughts off and went to sleep.

Mendez on the other hand had recently signed papers that legally made Clyde his. He had made an excuse that his "wife" was preparing for the Clyde's coming and had decided not to come. He went to Clyde's room and injected a sedative into his arm. Clyde stayed sound asleep the whole time, all according to plan.

* * *

Clyde woke up a couple of hours later strapped onto a hospital bed and an IV drip attached to his arm. His vision was slightly blurred, so he blinked a couple of times and got his full vision back. He stared around the room. No one was there but him. It was silent except for the machines around him. He tried to wiggle his arms and legs free but failed.

"You're awake," a man said entering the room. "You thought you could fool us hmm?" he asked harshly.

"Fooled you for a while," Clyde mumbled staring at the man with fierce eyes. A tall slender woman entered the room after a few minutes. He grinned as he recognized the woman.

"Doctor, how've you been?" Clyde asked with a faking a smile on his face. "I assume something is wrong, considering I'm strapped down."

"You know perfectly well that the hell is wrong!" the man yelled.

"Please calm down CPO Mendez. This is how he works. He toys with us before he can get serious."

"Oh so you're CPO Mendez…I thought... umm... nevermind...," Clyde said in a drawling voice.

"You're not in any position to be mocking anyone, boy," Mendez said testily.

"I don't think you'd kill me right here and now," Clyde replied calmly.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well you would have already killed me, unless you want something from me. If you still want the computer files, doctor, then sorry but I've deleted them." Mendez looked puzzlingly at the two of them.

"This doesn't concern any of those files…at least not for now. I want to know how you knew we were coming for you. I did at that security advice you suggested buy the way," Halsey said.

"Hmm…how I knew…that's a hard one. Let me think about that," Clyde replied with sarcasm. "Thinking, thinking… nope got nothing. Well you see I really didn't know. The man just came up to grab me and well…I sorta knocked him out, self defense and all. Well I saw the man had a USNC uniform so I dragged him to his car, unnoticed of course, and left him with the clone, hoping that he would think that he got me. Seems it worked, but not so well. Also, I could escape this second rate training facility, but I don't think you guys would like that too much."

"You better not try and escape," Mendez threatened. "You'll have to catch up with what the others were doing tomorrow. Good luck with that."

"Wait, no, I have a better idea. Why don't we get him to be a guide for the other subjects, secretly of course, a councilor of sorts. He will still have to go through the training the others do though but he can help them out." Clyde didn't like what he was hearing and shook his head.

"No way period." Clyde said.

"Maybe this will help you make up your mind." Mendez said taking out a slim silver object.

"My laptop…" Clyde mumbled. "But as I've already said I deleted all the information in there."

"Really? Well why don't you tell that to our techs here. They were able to copy everything."

"That's impossible. Every time I go to sleep I delete all the data like last night when I…"

"Exactly," Mendez said. "You weren't careful enough and let your guard down." Clyde cursed and Halsey took out an oxygen mask and placed it on Clyde's mouth. A purple-ish spray came out and Clyde's eyes started to droop.

"Chloroform…should've known…" he said in a sleepy voice. His eyes closed and he started to breath heavily.

"He's fighting it," Mendez said. "He won't last for too long though."

"Maybe, maybe not, he's different from the others. You've seen that. Now if you don't mind I'm going to take a look at some of those files that those techs have. Please stay here and watch him." Mendez nodded.

"Just sleep trainee. It's best if you not fight it, you might hurt yourself." Mendez thought Clyde had taken his advice for Clyde had started to breathe normally. "Good."

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Like it? Hate it? Review it! Well Onto chapter 3! whenever i get the chance to put it up and all... well im halfway done and may finish sometime soon...like today... soo teehee! Oh and by the way i think i 4got 2 put it in da other 1 but the Mada Mada Dane part that Clyde says... thats from the prince of tennis... they were playing tennis and i mean cmon when do i get to use that line? not very often... so i took advantage of the situation! yayyy

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	3. Chapter 3

Hello people, yeah as I said in the other chapter this one would come out soon. I know it's a bit shorter but I mean, i ran out of great new ideas. All my other ideas are random...and have no plot connections to this one...well at least where we are right now. I usually think up the beginning and the end...I know I'm weird. Anyway hopes you enjoyz chapter trois 3.

**_DISCLAIMER: DO NOT OWN HALO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS THOUGH I DO OWN CLYDE._**

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CHAPTER 3

0530 Hours, September 24, 2517 (Military Calendar)

John had spent the last day training hard. He was exhausted and last night by the time his head hit the pillow he was fast asleep. Today they were going through the same thing over again. The boy whom he presumed was dead yesterday was there standing casually in the clothes he and everybody else were wearing. His nametag said Clyde-125. He was probably just sick yesterday, at least that's what John and the others thought. Mendez had arrived that morning waking them up as he had done yesterday. John and the others still weren't used to how early they woke up, but at least none of them got hit with that baton. The boy, Clyde, had woken up before any of them, before Mendez even appeared.

"Attention!" Mendez yelled. All the children straightened up, except for Clyde. Clyde stood slightly more alert, but not fully like all the other children. Mendez ignored this fact, but did give him a slight glare. "Outside trainees, _triple-time_! March!" They all went outside keeping their straight lines. They made 5 equal straight lines, 15 in four and 16 in the last one.

"Jumping jacks, count off to one hundred!" Mendez yelled out. They all started to jump as they had yesterday. When they finished they started with push-ups then leg lifts, and then sit-ups exactly as yesterday. They were all exhausted, John fell on his back as had many others. Clyde on the other hand remained standing and stared at the sun as it rose. He wasn't as sweaty as everyone else was. It was as if he had done this a million times before. He compared Clyde to Mendez and they both stared at the sun. Clyde was humming something off-tune, while Mendez was dead quiet. The other children stared also. One even asked weather Clyde was tired. He shrugged.

"Trainers get the water!" Mendez yelled out after a minute. Each trainer came out with a tray and on it a single glass of water. Clyde refused his, saying he wasn't thirsty. Mendez started to lecture him though Clyde still disagreed.

"Have it your way trainee. Say since you're not tired why don't you lead the run towards the Academy." Again Clyde shrugged, but started to run anyway, as if he had run to the academy before. Mendez followed. "Follow on trainees!" Mendez yelled behind him. John and the others stared to jog.

Again they had gone to the Naval Officers Academy, Clyde still in the lead. John had liked this place the best, he could rest and the classes weren't that bad. Déjà, an AI and also their teacher, had greeted them again on the top step. She was covered with a white sheet. She had look young yet old at the same time. Clyde entered the room followed the others.

"As I said yesterday, I'll be showing you some wolves. Watch closely as the wolves surround their pray and then strike." They all watched the hologram. John had already finished the crackers given to him, while Clyde next to him arms crossed, hadn't even touched his.

"You want it?" Clyde whispered. He must have seen John staring at his food. "You can have it. I'm not hungry."

"You sure?" John whispered back. Clyde nodded, slipped the food towards John then returned his focus to the hologram. John was amazed. How could someone not be hungry after what they just went through? Was Clyde some sort of super human? Maybe, maybe not but John was glad that he could eat some more though he knew it wouldn't fulfill his hunger. Soon the hologram finished and again they headed to the "playground." Yesterday he had been paired with two other kids, Sam and Kelly. They were probably angry at him since he hadn't helped them at the obstacle course, but they would have dragged him down anyway. Mendez had told him that if all three of them didn't cross the finish line then none of them won.

"You better help us out today," Sam said shoving John. "Or else I'll push you off one of those platforms."

"Yeah," agreed Kelly. "And I'll make sure it's a high one."

"Ok, ok just try not to slow me down," John replied holding both hands in front of his chest in surrender. He was too tired to start a fight with them. Soon he noticed that Mendez had taken Clyde away from the group.

"Ok trainees, we'll give you five minutes to think up of a plan!" one of the trainers yelled. John stared at the obstacle course. It was more complicated than yesterday, more rope ladders and bridges, but he found a route.

"You see there?" he asked Kelly and Sam pointing his finger towards the course. "That basket and rope at the far end, we can pull ourselves up, it leads to the top, though it's a long way up."

"We can do it!" Sam said encouragingly.

"I can run really fast." Kelly said.

"Good, save the basket for us then." John said playing to her strengths. Mendez had returned, without Clyde, and their five minutes had already finished.

"Ready, set, go!" Mendez yelled out. Kelly sprinted towards the basket, past both John and Sam. She was probably the fastest person John had ever seen. She reached the basket first and sat in it waiting for her teammates.

"Get out!" a boy who had reached the basket before John and Sam did, yelled.

"Wait your turn!" Sam exclaimed both him and John pushing him back. They climbed into the basket and started to pull. Six hands pulled as one. After a while they made it and ran towards the bell, and rang it together. They weren't the first, they were third, but at least they didn't come in last. Chief Petty Officer Mendez watched them and John could have sworn that he saw a smile flicker on the man's face. Sam patted both their backs.

"That was awesome! Umm… you know…we could be friends…if you guys wanted."

"Yeah!" Kelly said instantly then turned to face John.

"Yeah friends." He smiled at the both of them. "By the way do you know where Clyde went?"

"Clyde? You mean the new kid? I saw Mendez taking him away but nothing more really." Sam answered.

"I see." John said to himself.

* * *

"Did you want to talk to me about something doctor?" Clyde asked as he entered her office. He had been led away from the others by Mendez. He had said that the doctor wanted to talk to him about something.

"Yes, I want to know some things about you."

"Such as…" Clyde said hoping it wasn't going to be too personal.

"Such as your eyes," she replied. "Why are they mix-matched?" Clyde shrugged.

"Was like that the day I was born," he replied casually.

"Lay here will you?" she asked patting a hospital bed. "I want to run a few," she paused looking for the right word. "Tests." Clyde did as he was told, not that he wanted to but he would have been forced to sooner or later. He decided to just get it done and over with. She gave him a pill to swallow which made him woozy. Clyde's eyes drooped, and he blinked a couple of times, trying to stay awake. His head collapsed onto the pillow.

"Just sleep," Halsey said in a soft, tender almost mesmerizing voice. Clyde was breathing heavily, but soon turned to normal, his eyes were completely closed.

"Good," she whispered. She attached two IV drips to his right hand and placed and a mask over his mouth. As Clyde took a breath the mask fogged up. "Now, let's see how you really got those eyes of yours." She took a few DNA and blood samples and gave them to Déjà to study. After a few hours Déjà was done. She checked all of the data she received. Her eyes widened as she read through it. He truly was different from the rest of the subjects. He was already used as a test subject, he just didn't tell her. He couldn't become a Spartan anymore. Then suddenly a bright, new idea spawned in her brain. He would be used for something else. Something that would play to the strengths of what those people did to him before and right after his birth. This was probably the most magnificent idea, next to the Spartans, that she'd ever had.

* * *

Whaddya think? Like it? Hate it? Rate it! (yeah I know I said that last time...)


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER AND A/N: I DO NOT OWN HALO...:( IT BELONGS TO BUNGIE AND IN THIS STORY ERIC NYLUND! WELL I DO OWN CLYDE :)  
**

Sorry if I haven't updated in a while. If you've been to my awesome, cool profile you would've known that I lost all my data but I got it all back again. YAY ME!! claps hands together NOW ONTO THE STORY!

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CHAPTER 4

0630 Hours, July 12, 2519 (Military Calendar)

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach Military Wilderness, Training Preserve, planet Reach

John and the other trainees held on to their chairs in the drop ship. Again Clyde was not with them. He never was during missions like this. Mendez started to explain the rules and handed a stack of papers to Kelly. He had ordered her to give them out. John and the other children looked curiously at their papers. It looked like some sort of incomplete map.

"These are portions of the map of the nearby region. You'll be set down by yourselves and your mission is to navigate back to the extraction point." Mendez explained. Seemed easy enough, thought John, but you could never tell with the chief. "One more thing the last trainee to make it to the extraction point will be left behind. I think it's quite a far walk from here," he added looking at the horizon.

John didn't like this. He didn't wan anyone to be left behind, especially Sam and Kelly.

"First drop three minutes! Trainee 117 you're up first!" Mendez yelled out.

"Sir! Yes, sir!" John glanced out the window and found mountains, a forest and a river…that fed to a lake. He nudged Sam and pointed to the lake and signaled him to tell the rest. Sam told Kelly and the two of them moved down the line of trainees. The ship decelerated and John felt his stomach rise.

"Trainee 117, front and center!" John walked up to Mendez and looked back the others. They nodded and John knew they all got the message. He left and started to run to the meeting point.

* * *

He had marched a long way and was lost in his thoughts. He didn't want anyone to be left behind so what was he going to go? There had to be a way to counter Mendez. Mendez had taught him many things and so had Déjà. Mendez had taught him how to be both physically and mentally strong. Then his thoughts turned to Clyde. Clyde was different from the others. He never went on missions like this, he always stayed behind. Was there something wrong with him? John didn't think so. Clyde was the strongest, fastest and smartest of them all. Sometimes he thought that Clyde was even smarter than Déjà and stronger and faster than Mendez. Soon John had arrived at the edge of the lake. He heard and owls hoot and walked towards the sound. Sam popped out of one of the bushes.

"Hey owl," John greeted.

"That's Chief Owl to you trainee," Sam said giggling. The other children followed and they put their pieces together. There were pieces left over, extras and pieces that didn't belong. They discarded the unneeded pieces.

"Let's move out!" John barked. No one argued and moved behind Kelly while Sam scouted ahead. He had the best eyes out of the children there. Soon he dropped back.

"This is way too easy. Not like the chief's other exercises." John nodded in agreement to Sam's statement.

"I want to know something," Fhajad said. Who's getting left behind?"

"No one," John answered. "We're all getting back."

"How, Mendez said—"

"I know what Mendez said, but there has to be a way. If there's a will there's a way right? Even if one were to get left behind it would be me." John said interrupting Kelly's statement. Soon they were close to the extraction point. John and Sam scouted ahead.

"Look there's the drop ship," John whispered. "You think those men are on our side?"

"Don't know, I mean look, they're out of uniform if they are." Sam answered.

"Let's go back then," John said turning around. Sam followed his lead. They explained to the others what they saw and had decided to lure the man to the clearing then gang up on him.

"I'll be the rabbit!" Kelly exclaimed. They nodded knowing she was the fastest out of all of them. She ran to the men out of uniform and called out to them.

"Hey I'm starving! You mind giving me some food? Wait, I dropped my jacked over there, I'll be back!" She ran back to the group hoping they'd follow her. All of the men started to walk towards her but one of them said he could take her on his own.

Meanwhile John and the others prepared, Fhajad scraped his leg with a rock to make it look like he was injured.

"They're coming!" Kelly called out. The rest of the children hid in the bushes rocks in their hands waiting for the man. As soon as he came into view they threw the rocks. The man collapsed, unconscious and bruised.

"What about the others?" Sam asked.

"They'll come soon enough," John answered. "As soon as they realize this one was taking too long to get a bunch of kids they'll come." Soon, just as John had said, the other four men came to the clearing. Finding their comrades' body on the ground unconscious they tried to help him but, just as their comrade, were pelted with rocks.

"Let's go!" John said. They ran to the dropship, quickly hoping the men wouldn't wake.

"Déjà," John said getting to the controls.

"Yes Trainee 117 do you need help with a homework question?" John shook his head.

"I'm in a dropship and I don't know how to pilot it. Can you teach me?"

"I can't do that but if you press the button over there I will have full control of the ship." John did as he was told. "There now I can take you home."

"Wait," John said running out of the ship. "C'mon everyone inside!"

"Who's getting left behind?" someone asked.

"No one, I'm going to get on last so if anyone is left behind it's going to be me." John replied. Once everyone was inside Déjà started to pilot the ship back to their base.

* * *

"What do you think?" Halsey asked Clyde. "What can you do about their chances?"

"I'm not sure… maybe if I do this…then maybe…" Clyde started to mumble to himself. "Phwee what a challenge. I think I can get it to a better percentage, about ninety percent…maybe."

"What's your percentage for getting it to ninety percent?" Halsey asked. Clyde shrugged.

"Some of these chemicals and drugs are unnecessary if you look at it in another point of view like this one and this one." Clyde said pointing to his computer screen. "Even if I were to higher the percentage some of them would still…"

"Die." Mendez said finishing Clyde's sentence and closing the room's door behind him. Clyde nodded slowly. They were in a dark room lit only by the computer screens. A mix of Rock, Hip-Hop, Techno and R&B music played in the background.

"This music helps you to concentrate?" Halsey asked rubbing her temples.

"Mm-hmm," Clyde replied nodding his head, his eyes moving constantly reading the information before him and picking out things that were unnecessary. "If you don't like it you're free to leave the room."

"Oh no," Mendez said ruffling the young boy's hair. "Might cause some trouble if we leave you here." Clyde chuckled and started to type at amazing speeds, deleting and adding information.

"Still don't trust me eh chief?" Clyde asked.

"Not a chance." Clyde stopped typing for a while and flexed his fingers. He turned his chair around to stare at Mendez and Halsey. Mendez got a better look of the boy who was out of uniform, as usual. Today he wore blue top and black pants that went to his ankles. He wore a watch on his right hand. Bandages were wrapped around his ankles and he was bare-foot. Mendez and Halsey stared back at the boy's mix-matched eyes.

"They're back," he declared. "All seventy-five of them."

"Seventy-five? How do you know they're back?" Mendez asked. Clyde pointed at a screen to his left showing a ship landing and dropping off children.

"Duh…"

"How do you know its seventy-five?"

"Do you really think they'll leave on person behind?"

"Well those were my instructions… What about the guards?"

"Probably knocked them unconscious…" Clyde said turning back to the screens and continuing to type. "They're capable of doing that, and if I am correct you left the guards out of uniform… on purpose." Mendez smiled. The boy knew his strategy. "Aren't you going to greet them?" Clyde asked. "Give me a bit of privacy?" Mendez sighed and left the room. Halsey followed behind him soon after. Clyde smiled. _I think I'm sort of glad I didn't try to run away this time…_

* * *

John stood in attention in Mendez's office. No one had ever been in here except Clyde, Halsey and Mendez himself. Inside smelled heavily of cigar smoke and the wood paneling's made him feel claustrophobic.

Dr. Halsey soon entered the room. Mendez stood and gave her a nod.

"Hello John." she greeted.

"Ma'am," John said saluting. She was the only adult who ever called him by his first name. It was weird.

"Trainee 117," Mendez snapped. "Explain to me again why you stole UNSC property… and why you attacked the guards I posted to guard it."

"Sir, the men were out of uniform. No insignias. They failed to identify themselves, sir!"

"Hmm…" mused Mendez. "So it seems… what about the ship?"

"I took my squad home sir. I was the last onboard so if anyone should have been left behind it—" he was cut off by Mendez.

"I didn't ask for a passenger list," his voice turned into a soft growl. "What are we going to do with this one?" he asked Halsey.

"Do?" She pushed her glasses higher on her nose. "Why the only thing we should do. Make him a squad leader.

* * *

**WHAT DO YOU THINK? I RECENTLY GOT MY MEMORY BACK SO I CAN WRITE AGAIN! HAPPY FACE :) SO...(DRUMS ROLL FOR COMMONLY USED CATCH PHRASE) LIKE IT? HATE IT? RATE IT!**


	5. Chapter 5

So just wanted to say that this chapter was really quick and I'm really happy. I've already started on Chapter 6 and currently re-reading my story to check for any mistakes. If you find something I have yet to catch please inform me so. Thanks.

I DO NOT own Halo though I do own Clyde.

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CHAPTER 5

1130 Hours March 09, 2525 (Military Calendar)/

Epsilon Eridani System, Office of Naval Intelligence Medical Facility, in orbit around planet Reach

Clyde sat in a chair located in the hallway of the medical facility. His head in his hands. His mind constantly thinking of things he may have missed. He couldn't have missed anything though…could he? Mendez stood on the wall opposite of him, arms crossed and leaning back.

"You seem tense." Mendez commented.

"Yeah well look who's talking, the one constantly tapping his foot waiting for results." Clyde retorted. Mendez immediately stopped tapping his foot and Clyde sat slouched on the chair crossing his arms as well. The two stared each other intently—well Mendez did anyway. Clyde looked tired and uncoordinated. Clyde had spent most of his nights for the past four years looking for ways to reduce the risk of the augmentations. Neither Clyde nor Halsey had told them the results of their finding. He doubted he'd understand half of what they said anyway.

"If you're thinking about how much we were able to do these past four years we did a lot…" Clyde said breaking the silence and entering Mendez's mind. "But I'm still not sure…"

"About what?"

"I don't know…that's what's bugging me. I don't know what I'm not sure about. In other words I don't know what I don't know." Mendez gave him a puzzling look.

"Ignore that last part, which may have just confused you more…" Clyde stood up. His clothes were wrinkled and he was not in uniform, as usual. He wore white sleeved top and blue pants. His hair was messy and longer that what Mendez would normally allow. Clyde defiantly looked like a civilian.

"Chief, walk with me," Halsey said entering the room. Mendez stood up to follow her.

"I'm coming too," Clyde said following them. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and started to follow the two adults. They arrived at room 117. Halsey and Mendez entered the room first; Clyde slipped in as quietly as he could and tried to melt into the shadows. He didn't want John to see him…not in the stage he was in at the moment.

John noticed Mendez and Halsey enter the room, only Mendez and Halsey. He tried to sit up and salute to Mendez, but failed. Halsey forced the best smile she could.

"How are you feeling John?" she asked.

"Fine, ma'am," he said groggily. "The nurse said the sedation would take effect in a few minutes. I'm trying to see how long I can stay awake." His eyes fluttered. "It's not easy." Halsey stared at John. He was an amazing specimen. He was fourteen and he had the body of an eighteen year old Olympic athlete and a mind that compared to one of any Naval Academy honors graduate.

"I know this is one of the chief's exercises but I just don't know what the twist is. Just this once, Dr. Halsey, can you tell me how to win?"

Mendez looked away. Halsey leaned in closer.

"I'll tell you how to win. You have to survive," she whispered. John fell unconscious as she finished her sentence. They left the room as quietly as they could, Clyde following them. He shut the door quietly and sighed.

"Something wrong?" asked Mendez.

"Hmm? Yeah I think so." Clyde answered. "This is crazy, that's what's wrong…" He looked down at his feet.

"Nothing you can do about it now." Mendez said putting a hand on his shoulder. Clyde shrugged it off.

"But I could have done something about it before…"

"Didn't you say you did a lot in that time?" Mendez asked. Halsey looked away. "Didn't you?"

"I only raised their chances of surviving by twenty-five percent." Clyde said.

"That's pretty good." Mendez said looking at both Halsey and Clyde. They both still hadn't looked him straight in the face. "It is good, isn't it?"

"Sure it is." Clyde replied sarcastically, almost angrily. "Especially if they only had a fifty percent chance of surviving in the first place! They only have a seventy-five percent of surviving!"

"That's good compared to fifty." Mendez stated calmly. Clyde had been aggravated, thinking about how much he could have still done. Thinking about all he had missed those four, long years. Thinking about the time he had wasted. Now was not a time to make Clyde angrier by answering in a harsh voice. Mendez knew that.

"Sure it's good!" exclaimed Clyde. "But it's not one hundred percent! That's what I wanted. One hundred! Do you know what seventy-five percent is on a test?" Clyde asked. "Only a B, meaning I didn't excel. I missed things, things that shouldn't have been missed! Things that could have made a damn of a difference!"

Mendez stared at Clyde. So did Halsey. Clyde had never been this agitated before. His eyes were tired looking and he looked like a ghost. "You, young man, should get some sleep." Mendez said his temper also starting to rise.

"Sleep… you know, that's the thing. I wasted time on sleeping."

"Sleep is necessary to live Clyde," Halsey said softly. "Without it you would be dead."

"Sleep? You think I can sleep whenever I want to? You think I can sleep just like that?" Clyde asked snapping his fingers. "Well I can't! You know what's running around my mind non-stop? Ideas, hundreds of millions of ideas. I worry about failing anything. You should also already know this, but I think I'll remind you again, I've had frikin' insomnia since the age of three. My parents had to drug me or make me take sleeping pills each night to help me get to sleep! And you know what else? These pills and drugs wouldn't work! Sure I'd fall asleep, but only for an hour or so. I never had the sleep normal people did…" Clyde looked exhausted. His eyes were in a foggy state. Just that rant had exhausted him. He was breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry…" he mumbled. "I shouldn't have gotten angry at you for my failures. It's just you really have no idea…"

"You're right." Mendez said. "We don't. That's why you have to give us one."

"An idea… Give you one of my ideas?" Mendez nodded.

"You know we can help you. _We_ know we can help you." Mendez said softly. Clyde finally looked up at him and stared into his eyes.

"You only _think_ you can help me…" Clyde said. He collapsed and Mendez caught him in the air.

"He's really light." Mendez said. "But well built. When was the last time he ate?"

"A couple weeks ago, I've tried convincing him to eat. I've even gotten one of the trainers to bring food to him daily. Sure Clyde would eat it but, he'd only eat a bit of the food we offered." Mendez stared at her, amazed at the feat Clyde had done.

"How about sleeping? When did he last sleep?"

"A few weeks ago as well I guess. I've drugged him a couple of times, even given him some sleeping pills, but all they do is make him drowsy, not fall asleep. I think his body and mind have adjusted to the drugs and pills. As he said he's had insomnia since the age of three."

"That's just crazy. Did you ask him to raise the chances of their survival?" Halsey shook her head.

"He hacked my files and read through them. _He_ asked _me_ to work on the project. He said that he wouldn't let lives go to waste. He would do what he could, in his power, to raise their chances. Eventually he got hooked, as if it were some videogame for some young kid."

"What about the sleeping pills and drugs? Are you doing anything to change them?"

"Actually," she started. "I've been researching on ingredients to form a new drug or pill that will work on Clyde."

"And the results?" Mendez was eager for answers.

"Good results actually. There's an animal in Australia, whose blood contains special characteristics that I've been studying. Apparently, if mixed with the right chemicals, this creature's blood will react in a way that will make it the most powerful sedation known to man. Even Clyde won't be able to fight it."

"Pretty good…" Mendez said. He didn't bother asking for the name of the animal. The animal would probably be endangered. "I'm bringing Clyde to his room." Mendez stated. He put Clyde in a piggyback position. Clyde's head resting on Mendez's shoulder his arms over Mendez's shoulders. Clyde was breathing slowly, but deeply, a good sign.

"Well this is something I never thought I'd see." Halsey said smiling for real the first time that day. "A commanding officer, tough as nails, giving the lower officer a piggyback."

"Savor it doctor for this is the only time I'm doing this," he said starting to walk. He turned his head back and smirked.

"Wait, I'm coming too," she said running up to catch him. "Now that I think about it I've never been in Clyde's room." Mendez nodded in agreement.

"Neither have I." Mendez said. "Wonder what's in there."

"In his head or in his room?" Halsey asked. They both enjoyed the rare moment of humor and mirth.

_______________________________________________________________

"This is it." Mendez said arriving at Clyde's room. "We can get in… right?" Halsey gave a hesitant nod. You could never tell with Clyde.

"He may have locked it with intense security," she said. "Then again maybe not." She hesitantly put a hand on the handle and twisted. The door opened. It was unlocked. They entered the room quietly and Mendez laid Clyde in on the bed in the corner. They were shocked. The room looked like a Japanese field. Cherry blossoms floated onto the "grassy" floor. The hologram was so realistic. The clouds moved over their heads like actual clouds. There was "wind" blowing through the trees and shaking the branches, also making the cherry blossoms float in the air. The holographic blossoms ran on them. There was a breeze though, a real breeze probably from a fan somewhere in the room. Considering the way things were moving, probably from the west.

"Amazing," Halsey said, amazed at the sight and that Clyde was able to do this. She listened to the music that played in the background. It was a calming traditional-style Japanese theme. She took a deep breath in. It smelled as if she were truly outdoors.

"How did he do this?" Mendez asked.

"I don't know. He just did," she answered. She stared at Clyde who had turned to face the wall opposite of them. He was hugging a pillow tightly, shivering. She walked over to him and pulled the blankets over his body. There was a picture on his bedside table. A man with short, black hair stood behind a woman with long black hair. The man had blue eyes and the woman had black eyes. The woman held a small bundle in blankets. She and the man both wore lab coats.

_So these are the people who…_ her thoughts were interrupted as Mendez walked up behind her. He too stared at the picture but he didn't say anything. He was probably thinking the same thing anyway. _These were the two individuals that brought Clyde into this world. _

Mendez quietly chuckled. Halsey looked back puzzlingly. "What is it?" she asked.

"He's got their eyes, both colors." He smiled. "He's also got their hair, even that messy, unruly hair of his father's. That is his father right?" Halsey nodded.

"Sora Aeryn Miyazaki and Asami Cherise Miyazaki. Sora is of Japanese and Irish decent while Asami is of Japanese and French decent."

"So Clyde is Japanese, Irish and French?" Mendez asked. Halsey nodded.

"He's also fluent in German, Russian, Chinese, Filipino, Spanish, Vietnamese and Italian." Mendez gave a low whistle.

"That's a lot, but you know what's shocking me right now?"

"What is it chief?"

"The fact that Clyde hasn't woken up yet. He's a pretty light sleeper isn't he?" Halsey nodded again.

"But he is exhausted. I didn't think Clyde could fight four years of very little sleep for very long anymore."

"That boy's just plain insane, I'll tell you that much," Mendez mumbled.

"Sure, he's a little insane, but we need that kind of insane sometimes. Now let's go before we wake him. I don't think he wants us in his room for more than the time we've taken."

"It doesn't matter, he's asleep anyway." Mendez said.

"Who knows…" she said.

* * *

Pretty different side of Clyde in here hmm? Well... I don't even know what's happening next, I'm just writing what I think should happen and going according to the story...sort of... Well Chapter Six is not picking up sticks...


	6. Chapter 6

Hello, did you like the change in Clyde's persona? Yeah I'm not sure if I'm going to do that again in the story. Just as you all might want to know there was no planning ahead for the story. Everything I either come up with or is taken and re-written from the book itself...most of it is by me of course. Oh and please if you read this I really need those reviews! Sometimes I just don't think anyone reads this and that I should discontinue so please raise my spirits up a bit and review!

So for disclaimer-- **I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS EXCEPT FOR CLYDE!!**

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CHAPTER 6

0000 Hours March, 30 (Military Calendar)/

UNSC Carrier _Atlas_ en route to the Lambda Serpentis System

"And so, we confide the bodies of our fallen comrades to space."

Mendez closed his eyes solemnly for a moment, as did Clyde and Halsey. Clyde was the first to open his eyes. Some had died after all, but who was he to prevent human death? Mendez too opened his eyes and pressed a control button. The ash canisters moved slowly into the ejection tubes and to the beyond…the emptiness…

Clyde looked a John who was rigidly at attention. The carrier's normally usually, cramped and noisy missile launch bays were unusually quiet.

"Honors…_ten hut_!" Mendez barked. John and the other Spartans saluted in unison. Clyde, who leaned on a nearby wall, straightened slightly. He wore clothes that were unusual to him. Black clothes, all stuffy. He didn't like them, but it was that occasion. He hadn't been forced to wear them…but he did anyway. He continued to stare at the remaining Spartans. All of them were taller tan him now, and larger. They looked stronger than him and he wondered weather that was true or not. Not all Spartans had died, though some were too twisted to even move. Others had suffered …awful side effects. Mendez started to talk.

"Duty, honor and self-sacrifice. Death does not diminish these traits in a soldier. We shall remember."

A screen flickered and showed a display of stars. The canisters were now out of view. He regretted losing them, but Clyde couldn't imagine how John felt right now—or maybe he could. John had matured with them. They were a family. They were inseparable and would do anything for each other. This was the one and probably only time that they wouldn't be there for each other. At least that's what they though…oh how wrong they were. Clyde knew everything. From the beginning he knew. He had wanted to tell them so many times. To prepare them. He couldn't though… he was sworn to damn secrecy by the ONI and Halsey. He regretted not disobeying the rules... something that doesn't happen to him very often. Regretting things…

Mendez finished his salute. "Crewmen, dismissed."

Clyde continued to stare at the remaining Spartans…and the remaining ones that couldn't fight anymore. He did what he could do…right? Clyde had been asking himself the same question for the past couple of days. He couldn't help it that he only got a seventy-five percent, such a bad mark. He continued to stare at John but then averted his eyes to the handicapped. Fhajad sat in a wheelchair, shaking uncontrollably.

He continued to watch as Fhajad and the others were rolled away. John stepped in front of them and ordered the men carrying them to halt. They stopped.

"Where are you taking my men?" John asked, cocking an eyebrow.

The orderly stopped in front of John and his eyes widened at the sight. "I, sir…I have my orders." He swallowed.

"Squad leader," Mendez called out. "A moment please."

"Stay," John ordered. He marched towards Mendez.

"Let them go," Mendez said quietly. "They can't fight anymore. They don't belong here." John stared around for a while then at the screen with the barely seen canisters.

"What will happen to them?" he asked, worriedly.

"The navy takes care of their own men. Just because they can't fight anymore it doesn't mean they are useless. They will plan strategies, analyze data, shoot trouble ops…"

John sighed. He was relived that they wouldn't be disposed of. "That's all we want sir, a chance to serve." He turned to face Fhajad and the others. He saluted to them and Fhajad managed to raise his arm shakily and return the salute with his own very shaky salute. They were wheeled away.

Clyde continued to stare. He hadn't said anything. Not a thing. He hadn't even made a sound. He stuffed both his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall behind him. Unlike him the other Spartans still hadn't moved since the end of the ceremony. They were awaiting their orders.

"Orders sir?" John had asked.

"Two days full bed rest. Then microgravity therapy aboard the _Atlas_ until you recover from the side effects of your augmentations."

Clyde heard the words _side effects_. There had been many of them. The Spartans could barely walk without falling. He and Halsey both knew that without the side effects then the augmentations didn't work. The side effects were a good sign. At least he thought so. The Spartans had become frustrated. They couldn't move properly. They were probably aching too. Clyde finally straightened and walked towards the other Spartans.

"Well you heard _da man_ guys, and gals. Off to bed. No story time tonight, Clyde's sleepy," Clyde said. He was the only one trying to put a little humor in the day. Trying to lighten their load. It worked, slightly. Some of the Spartans smiled at Clyde.

"Oh and just because I'm shorter than you guys doesn't mean that you can beat me. How about we have a little test when these so called "side effects" wear off _hmm_?" Some of the Spartans nodded. They had just been challenged and they never lose challenges, unless of course it was against Clyde, though this time they were certain that they would win. At least that's what they thought.

"Déjà's also got a couple of algebra junk if you're interested."

"It's not junk," Mendez said stepping behind Clyde and ruffling his neat hair. This was the one time they had seen Clyde with his hair _not_ messy. "All it is, is some tough equations." Clyde shrugged; he didn't really care whether they were hard or not.

"Well I'm gonna go take a nice, well deserved nap." Clyde declared stretching out his arms and yawning. "You guys get some z's too. They're your orders anyway." Clyde walked away, his hands stuffed in his pockets. The other Spartans followed his lead.

"Chief," John started. He furrowed his brow as he continued. "During the last…mission…people in my squad…died. Since I was squad leader, they were my responsibility…what did I do wrong?"

Mendez stared at John then sighed. "Walk with me." He led John to the view screen. The place was empty now, they were completely alone.

"A leader must be ready to sent soldiers to their deaths," Mendez said, not turning to face John. "You do this because your duty to the UNSC is more important that your duty to yourself and your comrades."

John looked away from the screen. He couldn't bear looking at the emptiness of the screen anymore.

"It's acceptable," Mendez started, "to spend their lives if necessary." He finally turned to face John. "It is not acceptable, however, to waste those lives. Do understand the difference?"

"I…think so, sir," John answered. "But which one was it this time? Lives spent, or wasted?" Mendez didn't answer.

* * *

0430 Hours, April 22, 2525 (Military Calendar)/

UNSC Carrier _Atlas_ on patrol in the Lambda Serpentis System

John oriented himself as he entered the deserted gym. Looking around he realized that it was his side of the room that rotated. The oncoming acceleration gave the circular walls a semblance of gravity. Unlike the other stations on the carrier, this section wasn't cylindrical. It was shaped like a segmented cone. The outer portion was wider and rotated slower than the inner.

The gym contained free weights, punching and speed bags, a boxing ring and machines that stretch and tone out every muscle in the group. No one was usually up this early and if they were they'd probably be in their room or something.

He started with arm curls and then started to think about Clyde. Something he had been doing more often recently. He and the other Spartans owed a lot to Clyde. No one told them but he was like an advisor to them. He had probably saved their, well most of their, lives. Clyde hadn't gone through the augmentations that the others had gone through but he was still very strong. At least that's what he and the other Spartans thought. They had never seen Clyde in a real life battle situation. Not that they had been in any themselves but they were being prepared.

His thoughts wandered back to the present. He realized something was wrong… no something _felt_ wrong. It felt to light. He picked up a forty kilogram weight. That felt much better.

For the past few weeks the Spartans had gone through daily exercises, constant checkups, and lots of eating. There were only thirty-three soldiers left in his squad. He still hadn't gotten over the loss of his comrades but he knew he had to let it go.

He went to the next few machines and set them all to the maximum weight…the thing was they were all too light. He decided to move to the high gee end of the room. Much better. He went to a speed bag attached to the ceiling and wall by a thick elastic band. He struck it but found it moved slowly, as if it were underwater. He pulled on the wire a couple of times to check if it was tight. Turns out it was very tight. He pulled a pin off the locking collar on the bench press. He walked to the center, supposedly one gee, and dropped the pin, timing how long it took for the pin to touch the ground. It looked like it had fallen normally, but it almost looked slow to John. He tried again. Forty-five hundredths of a second. One meter in about half a second. He's forgotten the formula for distance and acceleration so he ran through the equations including the square roots. Once he'd gotten to the answer, gravitational acceleration of nine point eight meters per second squared in one standard gee, he realized that the room wasn't out of calibration…he was.

His experiment was cut short as four well built men entered the gym. They were out of uniform, wearing only shorts and boots and their heads were shaved. The largest of the four, whom was taller than John, had scars decorating his face.

He recognized them as Special Forces—Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, more commonly known as the ODST's. They had the traditional tattoo on their arms saying: DROP JET JUMPERS and FEET FIRST INTO HELL.

"Helljumpers"—the famous 105th. John heard many rumors about them and how rough they were, even to fellow soldiers. John politely nodded towards them. They ignored him and went towards the high-gravity side of the room. The largest lifted a weight, he struggled and the bar waved unsteadily. It clattered onto the floor, almost crushing it's supporters foot.

"What the hell…"he glared at the locking collar that had fallen off. "Someone to the frikin pin." He growled and turned to John.

"My apologies, I'd forgotten." The four ODST's stormed towards John, the largest leading the group.

"Why don't you take that pin and shove it?" he said, smiling. "Or better yet… I should make you eat it."

John knew of only three ways to react to people. If they were his comrades, he helped them. If they were a commanding officer, he followed them. If they were an enemy or threat, he neutralized them.

The four men standing before them could have fallen into any three of the categories. They were fellow officers, he didn't know their rank and right now, well, they didn't seem too friendly.

They started to move around him. Two men grabbed his biceps, the one behind him tried to choke him. He whipped his right elbow over the hand that held him and brought it to the side. He punched the man and most probably broke his nose.

The other three men started to react, but like the pin…they moved slowly. John ducked and slipped out of the head lock and at the same time broke free from the man on his left.

"Stand down!" a voice said. A sergeant stood at the entrance to the gym.

Unlike Mendez, who was always fit, trim and serious, this man had a slightly bloating belly and seemed bemused at the sight of them.

"Well if you want to fight get in the ring!" he bellowed. John immediately understood the order and slipped into the boxing ring. The other men looked confused but seeing as John as already in a fighting stance waiting for them in the ring, they too entered and readied themselves for a fight.

One man came to John carrying a crowbar. He swung the bar towards John, who sidestepped out of the way. The grabbed the bar and twisted it out of the man's arm, and kicked the man at his side. He heard a bone crunching sound and the man collapsed to the floor, grabbing his side. His face was scrunched in pain. The other three men were now very serious and were surrounding John. They all lunged at him. He took the man closest to him and grabbed his arms, throwing him to the man with scars on his face, they both topped backwards into the ropes. The last man was greeted with a foot to the stomach and a hit to the back of his neck.

"At ease number 117," Mendez barked.

John obeyed and dropped the bar that he was still clutching in his right hand. The ODST's lay on the ground either unconscious or dead. Mendez strode towards the boxing ring.

The sergeant stood with his mouth open. "Chief Mendez, sir!" he snapped into a salute. "What are you—he's one of _them_ isn't he?" his eyes widened.

"The medics are on their way," Mendez said calmly. He stepped closer to the sergeant. "There are two Intel officers waiting for you in Ops. They'll debrief you…" he stepped back. "Oh and if I were you…I'd hurry."

The sergeant quickly left the gym, almost running. He looked over his shoulder once; seeing John he quickened his pace.

"Your workout is over for today," Mendez told John.

John saluted and left the ring. Medics rushed over to the ring and attended to the either unconscious or dead, men.

"Permission to speak, sir?"

Mendez nodded.

"Were those men part of a mission? Were they targets, or were they teammates?" he knew this _had_ to be some sort of mission. The chief was too close for this to be a coincidence.

"You engaged and neutralized your threat. The action you took seems to have answered your question.

John wrinkled his forehead and gave a hesitant "Yes, sir." Mendez sighed.

"Not all missions have simple answers. As squad leader you will have to choose whether the mission or the lives of your comrades are more important. Your priorities are to follow the chain of command…even if that means sending yourself or your comrades to death. Is that clear?"

"Sir…yes, sir." John had an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach as he looked back at the ring. He hit the showers and let the blood rinse of him. He felt strangely sorry for the men he had killed.

But he knew his duty—the chief had been unusually clear in order to clarify the matter. Follow orders and keep himself and his teammates safe. That's all he had to focus on. He didn't give the incident in the gym another thought.

* * *

So did you like it? I know Clyde really didn't appere in much of this chapter but next chapter I'll see what I can do. Pleae remeber my note earlier and review! I really need to know if you guys like my story or not. Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Sorry it took me song long to update but I've been busy with my other fanfic which I also haven't updated. In this chapter you will see a cross-over between a familiar anime and Halo. I hope you don't mind the cross-over but it's been bothering me for months and I've been trying to find a way to work it into my story.

Anyway for my loyal readers (if I have any) this is a Christmas gift from me to you. I hope you enjoy it.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HALO OR THE ANIME CROSS-OVER YOU'RE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE BUT I DO OWN CLYDE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO HIM.

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CHAPTER 7

0930 Hours, September 11, 2525 (Military Calendar)/

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach UNSC Military Complex, planet Reach

Halsey sat in Mendez's office, reclining on his padded chair. She stared at the drawer where Mendez kept his cigars in. For a moment was tempted to take one, but the stench coming from the drawer was too strong and so she withdrew her earlier temptations. She wondered why he thought of them as such a treat. She remembered Clyde once lecturing him about the dangers of smoking, Mendez merely ignored him. She smiled with the memory.

Mendez suddenly came in and straightened himself once he saw her sitting in his chair.

"Where are my Spartans?" she asked.

"We had to move them ma'am. The training facilities here couldn't handle their power so we moved them to a more…sufficient place. I'll drive you to where they are."

They left the small office and drove to some caves far from the facilities. They entered a small tech room, looking over the caves. Halsey and Mendez took as seat in front one of the windows. Halsey saw some marines, dressed in out-of-date armor carrying stun guns.

"Please don't tell me you've got my Spartans in one of _those_."

"No ma'am those are for the marines own protection. Start the sit*."

Seconds passed, soon minutes and still none of the Spartans appeared.

"Mendez, where the hell are my Spartans?"

"They're coming…" he mumbled. Soon one of the marines collapsed. A dark shadowy figure moved swiftly hitting each of them in their pressure points. The figure moved fast, maybe a little too fast.

"Kelly?" she whispered.

"Mmhmm." a familiar voice behind her said. "_Do not_ turn back, or you're going to miss it all."

Halsey didn't turn back trusting the teen behind her. She continued to watch the action below. Soon there were five dark shadowy figures facing the remaining marines. One of the marines got a clear shot at one of the figures, whom she recognized as John.

"No! Even stun rounds can kill at that range!"

John sidestepped and dodged the shot. He grabbed the gun and twisted it out of the man's arm. The marine collapsed clutching his arm in pain. Then the lights went out. Mendez flipped a switch and the lights turned on again but this time the five figures were missing.

"Tell me you got all that on tape." Halsey said.

"Yes ma'am we have it all on tape. Play it back!" Mendez barked. Soon one of the screens flickered to life but all it showed was static.

"A blizzard," the voice behind Halsey said, chuckling. "They tapped into the cams and destroyed the footage. I told you I should have been the one to program the tapes, but no, you just had to go with the second rate and cheaper stuff didn't you?"

"And where, per say, have you been Clyde?" Mendez asked, standing up.

"Here, there and everywhere. No I'm just kidding. I've been somewhere."

"That doesn't really answer his question." Halsey commented.

"I know." Clyde said shrugging. "To be honest with you I've been working on a new project." Halsey finally turned to face the young boy. She gazed at his mix-matched eyes. She stared at his blue and black eyes, which were staring at the white snow blizzard.

"What would this new 'project' be?" Halsey asked. "Or are you just trying to improve the MJOLNIR project?"

"The MJOLNIR is yours, though I may put some time in it, mine is different and will make space combat much easier. This project is still in progress so I haven't gotten out all the bugs and glitches. You know we have transportation for space but we don't have anything, but the large destroyers equipped with MAC's. Even if they are that amazing who knows what the Insurrectionists will come up with next? So I'm working on furthering our technology in space combat other than using the destroyers. The destroyers are slow but effective. What if we had something agile, and effective?"

"Is it possible?" Halsey asked.

"If my hypothesis is correct then it should be possible. I've already figured out how my invention will look. Now to put its interior, you know, what makes it move."

"What's the name of this 'so-called' amazing invention?"

"G.U.N.D.A.M.* Generation Unsubdued Nuclear Drive Assault Module.* Pretty cool huh?"

"And who, dare I ask, would be piloting these machines?"

"Whoever can I guess…? I don't know yet as I said I still have some glitches to figure out…"

"So let me get this straight," Halsey started. "You're creating a machine that can fight in space quickly and efficiently. Something that isn't slow but isn't weaker than the destroyers?" Clyde nodded.

"That's the gist of it, yes."

"I see…and who, may I ask, is funding this project?"

"Myself. Who else would?"

"Where would you get—"

"The money?" Clyde asked cutting her off. "I have the money no need to ask where it's from."

"Don't tell me you stole it." Mendez said.

"I didn't steal it from anybody. I earned it. Why would I steal when I can earn quicker?"

"I don't get it where did you earn the money?" Halsey asked.

"Long story short, I did a little thing over the summer…I pulled a few strings a few aliases and well a couple million came into my account."

"Little thing?" Mendez asked cocking an eyebrow.

"You do not want to know." Clyde said. "Let's just say I entertained a few people…ok not a few."

"Oh please don't tell me you were—" Halsey started.

"Ok then I won't tell you."

"Seriously? You're not kidding or anything or pulling one of your pranks?" Halsey asked.

"Seriously, I don't kid."

"Now that we can't take seriously." Halsey whispered to Mendez who was completely lost in the conversation.

"I heard that." Clyde said leaving the room. As Clyde was leaving, Halsey couldn't help but notice the insignias embedded on Clyde's shirt. It was on his back and on both of his shoulders. The insignias were shaped as a white and silver wolf. Behind it an eagle with its wings spread apart. There was a blue and white fog covering parts of the insignia. On the wolf was a sheath with a long katana. The eagle held shurikens.

"Ma'am what did Clyde do over the summer?" Mendez asked lost.

"He entertained people. Playing music, acting, whatever but he got a lot of money for that."

"An actor?"

"Yes now tell me chief. What are those insignias?"

"His very own insignia given to him by Personal Command." Mendez explained.

"Why?"

"He was given those insignias because of his exceptional skills in assassination, shooting close range and long range, strategic plans and hand-to-hand combat."

"Chief I want to ask you a question."

"Ma'am?"

"But now here, in your office."

"What was it you wanted to talk about ma'am?" Mendez asked as they entered his office.

Halsey took out a small briefcase and inside it hundreds of papers.

Mendez took a couple and started to skim over the pages.

"What is this?" he asked after a while. It wasn't making any sense to him.

"These papers contain Clyde's lifetime with the UNSC, starting from his birth."

"From birth? That doesn't make any sense. Didn't we get him at the age of six?"

"Yes _we_ took him at the age of six. I've been doing some research and if my findings aren't faulty then someone else had Clyde before us. Someone trying to create the _perfect_ human being."

"Who would do that?" Mendez asked curiously.

"Colonel James Ackerson." Halsey replied. "Clyde's parents were under Ackerson's wing at the moment and he used them to get Clyde. Clyde was taken out of his mother's womb before time; actually he was taken out right when Asami was pronounced pregnant. They placed him in tubes and let him develop there. Clyde received pre-experimentations and because of those experiments he came with blue and black eyes. His hair was also one of the side-effects. Anyway, Clyde was trained from birth to the age of three. In that time line he could fight better than any of his trainers, think better than any of the scientists watching over him and come up with strategic plans for any given situations.

"Of course the drugs given to him before his actual birth caused the side effects but in exchange for those side effects he became the smartest and strongest human being. He grew up paranoid and ready for an attack. In his preliminary stages he would often get beaten up by his trainers, because of his unawareness. Soon enough though he could react faster than any of his trainers and get away before they could do anything to him.

"He also went through 'augmentations'. His were most likely more painful because of the low-tech equipment they used. It says in one of the files I read that he really wasn't the same after the augmentations. He was more secretive and quiet. Not that he wasn't quiet before, but after the augmentations he seemed to wander away from reality. At least that's how the files described him."

Mendez pondered on the information he'd just been given. He was tempted to ask what her earlier question was but continued to keep that to himself; it would come up later.

"So how did he end up in an orphanage if he was that important?" Mendez asked instead. "I don't think Ackerson would give up an experiment like that."

"He didn't. Something happened after the augmentation. Clyde's parents took him away, or 'kidnapped' was the term used in the files."

"Why would they take him away?" Mendez asked.

"Clyde's parents didn't like the way Clyde was being raised. For a while they were convinced that it was on honor to have their child used as an experiment. A way to further human technology. A huge lie they found out later.

"They took Clyde away from the training camp he was being held in, at the age of 3. Not an easy task but they managed to get away with it. They went back to Japan and tried to restart their life there. Clyde still lived in paranoia, always carefully walking his senses heightened because he was in an unfamiliar place.

"At first he was homeschooled then Aeryn thought it was better if Clyde went to a school with other children. So they transferred him to Amagasaki Shibuku's Private School. Clyde was too smart for the already prestigious school so they moved to Ireland then to France for the same reasons. Soon they moved to Canada then to America and found the same results there. They decided to stay in the U.S thinking it would be better for Clyde that they didn't move anymore.

"He lived with his parents normally for about a year until he was kidnapped. The kidnapper killed his parents after given the ransom and he lived with his aunt and uncle for five months before being placed into an orphanage off of earth.

"At the orphanage he was considered the smartest and entered many contests consisting of academic, athletic and artistic entries. He was number one in everything he did and according the files from the orphanage often bored.

"He was quiet and preferred to be alone but if someone approached him he was willing to help no matter what. He always had a smile when around other people but it was fake according to the teachers.

"According to one of the UNSC's IQ tests Clyde had an IQ of over 200. He also offered a scholarship to Luna OCS Academy to become a tactician. He declined…five times. Then we came."

There was silence for a couple of minutes.

"So after hearing all of this information, chief, do you think it will be ok to experiment on him again? To hurt him physically and mentally for the greater good?"

The chief pondered on this thought for a moment. He wanted to say 'I don't know' but didn't. A couple seconds passed then a couple of minutes. He sighed after a few more minutes.

"Do you honestly want my honest opinion?" he asked. "Was this the question you wanted to ask me?" Halsey nodded.

"Well…" he paused gathering his thoughts. "I think that if it's for the greater good we should. How high are his chances on dying in this 'experiment'?" he asked. "Because if it's high and he does die then we've just lost a very noble, loyal, intelligent and powerful soldier."

Halsey stared at Mendez. She never thought that he respected Clyde that much. She wondered what Clyde thought of Mendez for a moment then went back to the matter of Clyde.

"Is this you're honest opinion chief?" she asked, talking slowly so he understood how critical his opinion was to her. He hesitated a moment then nodded.

"Yes. This is my true and honest opinion." Mendez answered.

"Well thank-you for being honest, now onto my other question."

_Another question? _Mendez though.

"I must admit," Halsey started, "that the Spartans efficiently fought and neutralized their enemies. I want to know…" she paused. "If they are ready to kill. Are they ready to kill chief?"

Mendez stared at her. He started to speak. "I've heard rumors of strange activity happening in Harvest—"

"Your rumors are out-dated chief," she said. "There simply is no more Harvest."

Mendez had a look of shock on his face. "What happened?" he asked awe-struck.

"_Something_ attacked. Now notice how I used the word _something_ and not _someone_." she said emphasizing the word 'someone' each time she used it. "We aren't sure but we don't think that it was the Insurrectionists that launched the attack. The planet was completely destroyed, burned. No human life form was found after the attack. The ships were strangely shaped nothing we'd ever seen before."

"Harvest, gone. Who would have thought of it? It's horrible."

"Yes chief and that's why need Clyde for this experiment. We need him and the Spartans."

* * *

*1. Sit-situations

*2. G.U.N.D.A.M-is the anime and manga that does not belong to me I will add details about it so that it will make sense to readers who do not know what G.U.N.D.A.M is

*3. Generation Unsubdued Nuclear Drive Assault Module- the acronym G.U.N.D.A.M truly has no meaning. This is one I found over the Internet

* * *

Got to learn a little bit about Clyde in that chapter didn't we? Do you like the idea of crossing GUNDAM and Halo. I mean they're both science-fic and this is a wonderful opportunity. Please review and tell me what you think. Well anyway I hope you liked the chapter and hopefully I will be able to update soon after New Years.

My New Years resolution. Update quicker. Good resolution?

Well as I said in the beginning MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!


	8. Chapter 8

Hello readers. Boy I feel so bad that I haven't updated forever (two months). So I hope this will satisfy your thirst for more of my story. I honestly like this chapter, and I think it's my best. I'm loving the ending. So to find out what happens why don't you start reading? Well anyway, just wanted to say sorry that I didn't update last month. I'm going for a whole update every month sort of thing. Well anyway, onto the story! Enjoy.

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CHAPTER 8

0600 Hours, November 2, 2525 (Military Calendar)/

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach UNSC Military Complex, planet Reach

John's eyes darted around the room full of Spartans and officials. He was looking for Clyde whom seemed to disappear every couple of seconds. Everyone was wearing dress uniforms and he kept wondering who had died. No one he knew hopefully.

Their first mission was a complete success. He was awarded a Purple Heart and glistened on his chest. He made sure it was polished to a high sheen and it stood out against his black dress jacket. He gave a couple of glances at it just to make sure it was still there.

He sat in facing the platform. He stared at his Spartans. They were all sitting quietly. It would have given someone the feeling that they were in some sort of ghost town and that the Spartans were mere statues. That would have been a complete understatement. One that could have caused who ever thought that their lives.

He had been in this room before. This was where Dr. Halsey had told them that they were going to be soldiers. This was where he was given a purpose in life.

Suddenly a door in the back opened and a small figure appeared. Clyde entered the room looking exhausted. There were shadows underneath his usually lively eyes. He was also in dress uniforms, though his were slightly wrinkled. He coughed into a white handkerchief, about the only sound inside the amphitheater. He saw Clyde stare at the handkerchief for a moment then fold it up and stuffed it into his pocket. John couldn't help but to notice the red stain that appeared after Clyde had coughed into the handkerchief. Blood? No, probably just some sort of decoration he missed.

Clyde walked across the room and sat beside John. He looked gaunt and held a clear white handkerchief to his mouth.

"You ok?" John asked.

"Fine," Clyde replied. "Just fine." John stared at the other Spartans who stared at Clyde. Something wasn't right. Clyde had never been this tired looking before. Well maybe once but he recovered.

"Are you sure?" John asked again.

"Certain." He was perspiring a little but seemed cold. He was actually trebling. John say the worried looks on the other Spartans faces.

"Just let me check your temperature." John said putting a hand to Clyde's forehead.

"It's nothing. Really. I'm just a little tired." John held his hand there for a while then took it off. Seemed normal enough. Then what was wrong?

Chief Mendez entered the room and marched to the center platform. He too wore a black dress uniform. He gave a worried glance towards Clyde whose eyes were closed tightly and was taking deep breaths.

John went back to the chief. He was outstanding. One couldn't help but feel the amount of authority portrayed by the man. His chest glistened with medals and ribbons.

The Spartans rose and stood at attention, including Clyde who seemed to be uncoordinated at the moment. He seemed to need help but when John offered he politely refused.

Soon Dr. Halsey came in and gave the same worried glance towards Clyde that the chief had given before. What was wrong? Obviously Clyde was lying.

Again he pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the present events. The doctor looked older than when John last saw her. There were streaks of grey in her hair, though her blue eyes were as sharp as ever. She didn't wear a dress uniform though she did wear a black shirt and grey slacks. Her glasses hung around her neck hanging from a golden chain.

"Admiral on deck!" Mendez barked.

They all stood straighter, seemingly like toothpicks, except for Clyde who stayed in the same slightly slouched position.

A man ten years older than Dr. Halsey marched to the stage. He seemed to walk as if he were still in microgravity, something called "space walk". He wore a plain, undecorated black dress UNSC uniform. No medals or ribbons the complete opposite of the Chief. He walked with a sense of authority around him and the visible insignia on the forearm of his jacket helped. The unmistakable single gold star of a rear Admiral.

"At ease, Spartans," he started. "I'm Admiral Stanforth."

The Spartans sat in unison, with the exception of Clyde who took probably half a millisecond longer. Definitely not normal.

Dust whirled on stage and a figure with its face hidden within the shadows of its hood appeared. There were no hands at the end of the sleeves.

"This," the admiral started, "is Beowulf. Beowulf is our AI with the Office of Naval Intelligence." He turned away from the AI. "We have several issues to cover this morning, so let's get started. The lights dimmed and a CGI of a sphere appeared.

"Harvest," The admiral started. "Populated with millions of people and now…" The picture changed into a different looking sphere. The sphere looked like it had been glassed. The whole planet was burning it was bright. "Now this once largely populated colony has been destroyed. How? This question may be wandering your minds." John nodded inwardly.

"A new threat arises Spartans. This threat is like nothing we have ever encountered before. This threat is different. This threat isn't human." New pictures arose this one of strange looking creatures. _Aliens_? John thought.

"They are the Covenant." The admiral continued. "They attacked harvest and destroyed the whole colony. We are not sure how to fight them but we must try out best. For now you Spartans will not yet fight these creatures." The group fidgeted uncomfortably. "Instead we want you to be able to complete your training. I know that this has been hard but there is still more bad news to come." The admiral gestured to Mendez. "Chief Petty Officer Mendez will be leaving and training new recruits to become the next batch of Spartans."

Mendez walked up to the podium, his head held high. "It has been an honor to train you all. I believe that you are the best soldiers we have around. It is no doubt that you will bring peace to the colonies." The chief didn't say anymore. He saluted and the Spartans stood and saluted back. Soon all the Spartans were filing out one by one. Halsey went and talked to Clyde and Admiral Stanforth. The chief walked over John.

"One final lesson Spartan. What do you do when you attack a stronger opponent?"

"Sir! There are two options. Attack their weakest point and take them out."

"The other?"

"Fall back. Use guerilla tactics." John answered.

"Good." The chief sighed. "There is another though." John furrowed his brow. "Surrender." He said clasping John's shoulder. John looked up at the chief. "That, however, isn't an option for our types. You and I are similar. Besides, you saw what they did to _Harvest_. There isn't a chance that they would let us surrender." John nodded. "

"Project MJOLNIR will make the Spartans stronger. Something I couldn't make you into." He reached into his pocket and took out a small metal disk. "When you first arrived here you got into a fight with the trainers. I believe they took this away from you."

John took the disk. It was the coin Halsey had given him all those years ago. He stared at it. The chief held is hand out. "Good luck Petty Officer." John managed to grasp it.

"Sir." Then he saluted.

­­­­­­­­­­­

* * *

"How are you feeling Clyde?" Halsey asked the fourteen year old. He had been looking at the scene between John and the chief.

"Huh? Oh…I'm fine…"

The admiral stared at him and pulled Halsey away. "Do take that child's opinion seriously?"

"Yes." Halsey answered. "If he wasn't here to help out with the Spartan program half of those Spartans would be dead."

"What about him now? He's sick."

"That was my doing…"Halsey said breaking eye contact with the admiral. "I'm doing an experiment…"

"Have you told Admiral Jeromi?" Halsey shook her head. The admiral sighed. "Do you plan to tell him this new experiment?" Halsey didn't respond. She still hadn't decided on whether she was going to tell her old teacher or not.

Clyde started to cough. He started to cough harder and harder. Then he collapsed to his knees. He clutched his stomach, now coughing out blood. John and Mendez saw this and ran towards Clyde, who was now lying on his side trembling. Mendez picked the helpless boy up and ran him towards the hospital wing. Halsey, John, and the admiral running behind him. They passed the other Spartans who were heading to their quarters. Mendez was shouting for the Spartans to move to the sides. They did as they were told. The Spartans stared at the trail of red liquid formed behind Mendez.

Sam slid his finger on one of the dots. "What the—" Sam started, but was pushed out of the way by a desperate looking Doctor Halsey.

Kelly walked over to Sam. "What was it?"

"Blood…" he answered.

"Who's blood could it—" Kelly frowned. She remembered Clyde coughing heavily.

Mendez ran into a room and lay Clyde down on the bed immediately. His hands and chest were covered in blood but it wasn't as bad as how Clyde looked. There was blood everywhere. On his clothes, his face, his hands and it even reached his pants. He hadn't even stopped coughing. He was still shaking and wouldn't stop. Halsey immediately entered the room and took out a pill from her pocket. His eyes were tightly shut as if in some sort of nightmare.

"117 it's best if you leave the room." Mendez said.

"But sir—" John started.

"That's an order Spartan." Mendez gave him a stern look. John turned and started to walk away. He opened the door and stole a quick glance at Clyde. He was still coughing. The admiral and Mendez were strapping his wrists and legs down to the bed so his range of motion was lessened. John closed the door behind him and walked towards the far wall. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. Then he waited.

* * *

Halsey was panicking. Something must have gone wrong with one of the pills. According to scans Clyde's heart rejected one of the pills and reacted in a negative way. She had taken a blue pill out of her pocket. This pill as to relax Clyde's body and hopefully stop anything wrong that was happening with him. She kept a case of them in case anything had gone wrong. Turns out something did go wrong. She had given him the pill and stuffed it down the boy's throat. He rejected it a first but the admiral kept a hand firmly clasped over his mouth until he swallowed it. They had strapped him down to the bed and Halsey had taken off his blood soaked shirt. His chest was rising up and down quickly but then started to slow. He wasn't coughing anymore. A good sign. She attached a few IV drips to his arm and sedated him. Hopefully he would stay asleep. There was a breathing mask over his mouth. They had cleaned the blood off his face and Mendez and cleaning the blood off his with a wet towel near the sink. The machines that Clyde had been attached to showed everything was functioning well…for now anyway.

There were at least a dozen towels discarded to a far corner. All starting off white but were now red from Clyde's blood. Mendez added to the pile with the one he was using. Clyde was breathing heavily now. His eyes still shut tight. Then she noticed something. A slip of paper was showing from the inside of Clyde's breast pocket from his dress shirt.

**HdiltptandasmahahtuilopyeseimtsmobssgobCeeretwoaelyttnaolnryFhaerrddsdoinasdeireunttMintemngIhysrsa.**

Halsey cocked her eyebrow and kept the note hidden in her pocket. She didn't get it…

* * *

Chapter 8 guys and gals. Hope you like the little thing I added at the end. Try and solve it. Post what you think it is. I'll even give you a clue. Go to Dan Brown's Website (my inspiration for the riddle) and try his Da Vinci Code Quiz. I can't exactly remeber whether it was one or two... but try both anyway. Oh and a side note, ignore the spaces between the letters but keep everything else. Try to solve it. As I said before post what you think it is. If I get enough posts/reviews I'll dedicate a whole chapter to your answers. Yeah to post you need to review your answer. So yes. Sorry this took so long. **Gkgadreoitveskonhirhaddidsailosrytsuimeoahcnyauki** If you figured the other one out this one will be a sinch. Good Luck on your quest my readers!


	9. Chapter 9

Yes, I updated pretty quickly. This is a chapter which will, _hopefully_, help you in your quest to solve the riddle i gave you in last chapter. I hope this helps you on your quest. There is also a small twist in the story. Heh, I hope you like this.--HatakeKaishi

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CHAPTER 9

1750 Hours. November 16, 2525 (Military Calendar)/UNSC frigate _Commonwealth_ en route to the UNSC Damascus Materials Testing Facility, Planet Chi Ceti 4

Halsey sat in her chair, staring at a computer screen littered with letter, numbers and symbols. At the bottom of the screen was the original message.

**HdiltptandasmahahtuilopyeseimtsmobssgobCeeretwoaelyttnaolnryFhaerrddsdoinasdeireunttMintemngIhysrsa.  
**

She hadn't told anyone about it. She hadn't even gotten an AI to help out with the code. She would have most likely had gotten someone or something's help if it wasn't in a code like this. Obviously it was meant to be a secret and she was trying to figure out what it was. She couldn't help but wonder if the message was for her. She hoped it was.

She would have asked Clyde personally but he was in a coma. He had been asleep for the past two weeks. Everything seemed to be working fine. No coughing fits at the least. She wished he were awake to figure this out. To tell her what the message was. Then again, the message may not have been for her in the first place. If that were a possibility then who might it be for? She thought of everyone she could. John? Sam? Kelly? Mendez? Maybe even Ysionris Jeromi, her old teacher, himself. No, she was almost certain it was hers. Perhaps it was because of the letter the gibberish code started with. H. H for Halsey? Maybe? She didn't know.

Her thoughts were interrupted with knocking on her door. She closed the file and deleted it. Not like she gained anything anyway.

"Come in!" she called out. Mendez walked in. "I though you left already."

"Not yet… I just want to make sure that brat is going to be fine." Halsey turned her chair, looking at the chief's dark eyes. She sighed.

"He'll be fine. Just a bit of drug over use."

"A bit?!" Mendez asked. Halsey sensed the anger in his voice. "The boy almost died!"

Halsey kept quiet. "…The Spartans died as well, chief…" Mendez looked at the floor. "Take a seat chief." Mendez took a chair from one of the far tables and sat across of Halsey. Halsey took out the sheet of paper she found in Clyde's breast pocket. _Maybe…_ She looked at it reading the letters over. Mendez cocked an eyebrow, confused.

Halsey continued to scan the message. She wrote the message in another piece of paper this time underlining only all the capital letters.

**H****diltptandasmahahtuilopyeseimtsmobssgob****C****eeretwoaelyttnaolnry****F****haerrddsdoinasdeireuntt****M****intemng****I****hysrsa.**

_H, C, F, M, I_. _H_ for Halsey, _C_ for Clyde and _M_ for Mendez. Now who were _F_ and _I_ for? She thought about telling Mendez. Perhaps he would be able to help her solve the code.

"Ma'am?" Mendez asked after a while. "Are you ok?"

Halsey sighed. "Yes chief, I'm fine. I need you help on something." She handed him the piece of paper. He stared at it for a long time.

"Don't tell me you want me to decode this thing, do you?" he asked. He couldn't believe the gibberish on the paper. "It is a code right?"

Halsey nodded. "I can't figure it out at all."

"Why are you asking me?" Mendez asked handing the paper back.

"Because of the letters in capitals." Halsey replied shoving the paper back. Mendez took it back and stared that the paper. He looked at the letters Halsey had underlined when he entered. _H, C, F, M, I?_ "Halsey, Clyde, F, Mendez, I? Who's the F and I?"

"Exactly what I want to know."

"What about the other letters?" Mendez asked.

"What we have to find out." Halsey opened Clyde's file and put the five letters into a search engine.

"What are you doing?"

"Maybe something will come up if I put these letters into the engine. Maybe names." She hit the enter button and just as she said names appeared on the screen. Not only names, but objects and places as well. There were millions of hits.

"Oh yeah, three down, millions to go right?" Mendez said in a sarcastic voice. Halsey frowned.

"Doctor Halsey?" a voice said from a nearby speaker. "Doctor?"

"Yes?" Halsey asked pressing a button to contact the private who had buzzed her. "What is it?"

"Ma'am, Lieutenant Junior Grade Miyazaki, is waking."

"How many times to I have to tell you, Ventresca, I'm not a damned Junior Grade anymore!" a voice yelled from behind then coughing.

"Sorry sir. Correction, ma'am, Lieutenant Miyazaki is awake."

"Be right there, thank you Private Ventresca." Halsey sighed and stood. Mendez started to chuckle.

"Lieutenant huh? Won't he be Lieutenant Commander in a couple of days?" Halsey nodded.

"It's best if we go talk to him about this." Halsey said holding the piece of paper in her hands. Mendez gave an approving grunt and followed Halsey out the door. They walked past the other wings which were deserted completely. The only room occupied was Clyde's.

"Damn," a voice from inside said. Again coughing started. "Get—me—that—pill—will—you?"

Mendez and Halsey entered the room. They saw Clyde sitting up blood trickling from his mouth.

"Please just pass me the pill." Clyde said weakly to the private. He coughed again.

"Which one is it ma'am?" the private asked upon the entrance of Halsey and Mendez.

"Thanks for filling in Ventresca." Halsey said.

"No problem ma'am. It was fine until he woke up." Mendez gave a weak chuckle from the back.

"Please… I need the pill…" a weak voice said from the bed. Clyde had collapsed onto his side. His left hand covering his mouth.

"You can leave now," Mendez said to the private staring at Clyde.

"Sir! Yes, sir!" the private saluted then left.

Halsey walked towards the almost unconscious boy. She removed his fragile hand from his mouth and inserted the pill into his mouth. He, like the first time, tried to rejected the drug but Mendez wouldn't let him. He started to breath heavily his eyes shut tightly.

"Damn it…" Clyde whispered weakly. It was almost inaudible. Halsey moved the hair covering Clyde's closed eyes and pushed it backwards.

"His hair is too long…" Mendez commented. Halsey smiled. She leaned towards Clyde. She whispered into his ear.

"Tell us what the message is…please," she whispered quietly, gently. No response came. "Please…" Again no response. She sighed. "Our one chance to ask him and he falls unconscious." She checked his vitals again before heading out of the room. Mendez followed her. They went back to Halsey's room.

"Ma'am would you mind telling me what those pills exactly are?" Mendez asked.

"I've already told you chief, muscle relaxants." Halsey replied.

"Are they really?" Halsey didn't respond.

"Please explain to me what is really happening doctor." Mendez demanded. "I want to know what this 'experiment' is."

"Have you ever heard the saying that people are stronger and smarter when they are having fun?" Mendez shook his head.

"What does that have to do with Clyde?" Mendez asked.

"Haven't you noticed that Clyde seems to think of almost everything as a game which is meant to be won? He has 'fun' along his quest to win his 'games.'"

"That's just who he is." Mendez replied.

"Who's to say that innocence won't leave him as he ages? Who's to say he'll turn out to be one of those hard-core navy personnel?"

"What are you trying to say?" Mendez was still confused. He didn't know where this was going. At least he hoped he didn't know.

"Think about, some people say that when they look young they feel young. Who's to say the possibilities of what would happen if you kept someone in a circle of ages. Ranging from the age of ten to sixteen then going back to the age of ten."

"Are you implying, doctor, to keep Clyde in that range of age?" Halsey nodded. "Won't his mind stay just as immature?"

"That's the thing chief. Clyde may seem immature and childish, but he has one of the most complex and intelligent minds I've ever seen." She waved the paper with the code in front of Mendez, who followed the side to side action.

"And he's agreed?" Mendez asked. Halsey nodded.

"He told me that he never wanted to grow up. He wanted to stay as childish as possible. He said 'What better way than your idea doctor?'"

"But what about physical abilities? Won't they be just as limited as before?"

Halsey shook her head smiling. "Think about it. He's better than the Spartans now is he not? Better than even you?" Mendez gave a slow nod. "He may get slower as he ages, after all—"

"Yes, yes, I get it. Although I remember talking to you one time. Remember how we talked about the risks? How high are they?"

Halsey's smile flipped. She broke eye contact and stared at the floor. "I…I don't know…" Mendez sighed heavily.

"Tell me…is there a high chance of him dying?" Halsey remained silent. She didn't say anything for several minutes. She said something but Mendez couldn't make it out.

"What?" he asked.

"Yes…" she replied, barely a whisper.

"Why?"

"The experiment may cause Clyde…many things. Right now it's causing him his ability to be able to keep healthy. You can't really notice it, but it's causing him his ability to mentally solve problems. I was surprised he was able to write the code."

"So," Mendez started. "You've already started?"

"Yes." Halsey replied.

"But he's only fourteen! I thought you said between the ages of ten and sixteen. When you said that I thought you'd start in two years!"

"Listen." Halsey said her voice now stern. "I have my purposes for starting this early!"

"And what—per say—is this reason?!" Mendez said, almost yelling it back.

"Clyde, is the reason!" Halsey yelled back. Mendez stared at her.

"Wha—what do you mean?" he asked.

"Clyde… he's the reason I did this. I've known Clyde's parents for a long time! Before Clyde was even born. I am the one who introduced Aeryn and Asami to each other! Asami was my roommate in university. Aeryn was the son of my father's friend."

"I…I don't understand. Sure you knew his parents, but that doesn't explain on why you would do this, especially if you knew the risks were high!"

"Because…Asami once sent me a letter." Halsey replied.

"About—about what?"

"Clyde…Do you know what she said in that letter? She told me Clyde's exact words when he was two? Here I'll show you…" She walked towards a cabinet in a far corner of the room. She stuffed the paper towards Mendez.

_Dear Catherine,_

_Hello. How have you been? As you know Aeryn and I have had a child. Hopefully you remember his name. Clyde remember? Well he's growing up so fast. There's a picture attached to the letter if you want to see it. Anyway you should have heard him the other day. 'Mommy, I don't ever want to grow up!' It was just so adorable! You should have seen the twinkle in his eyes when he said it and the lilt in his voice when he said it. Aeryn's working so hard lately, sometimes he doesn't even get home. I'm starting to get worried about him. Anyway Clyde had a message for you. He said for you to decode it. _

_T__**h**__ere __**o**__nce __**w**__as a st__**a**__r which shone __**r**__eally bright. How__**e**__ver, in m__**y**__ eyes the c__**o**__lor was d__**u**__ll. Was I just imagining things__**?**_

_I tell you he created this himself. Send me a letter back ok?_

_Yours truly,_

_Asami and family._

"I was never able to send back a letter…" Halsey said.

"So you're doing this…because of Clyde's wish when he was two?"

"Not only then… I was talking to him a couple months ago. I showed him the letter. He says the same thing. He wants to stay as a kid."

"And you're fulfilling his wish?"

"Yes and no. You see, Clyde didn't know that I knew his parents. Probably the only thing he didn't know…Anyway, he wants to mature and he wants to stay the same…so I'm trying to find a way to keep his brain the way it was before I change his age.

"In other words, age change but the brain stays the same." Mendez nodded. Unsure, but seemed to get the gist of what she was saying.

"Ma'am, I'll be leaving now…" Mendez turned on his heel and left. He walked in the hallways leaving Halsey and thinking of the dangerous waters she was willing to enter using Clyde. _Would she have done it for anyone else, or just Clyde?_ He walked towards Clyde's room and entered. Clyde was asleep. His chest rising and falling slowly. Mendez walked over to the sleeping boy and stared at him. Clyde was on his back, a breathing mask covering his nose and mouth. _What could be going through your head?_

_Nothing._ Mendez remembered what Halsey had said. _Clyde's mental ability to solve problems had been temporarily suspended. _

Mendez put one hand in his right pocket. _There was something in there._ He took it out. inside his pocket had been a piece of paper. It was a letter from Doctor Halsey.

_Chief,_

_Pl se un er tand my reasons, fi ure out the fi st ri dle. Perhaps it will jump st rt your m nd to figure out the se ond._

_Doctor Catherine Halsey_

_T__**h**__ere __**o**__nce __**w**__as a st__**a**__r which shone __**r**__eally bright. How__**e**__ver, in m__**y**__ eyes the c__**o**__lor was d__**u**__ll. Was I just imagining things__**?**_

**H****diltptandasmahahtuilopyeseimtsmobssgob****C****eeretwoaelyttnaolnry****F****haerrddsdoinasdeireuntt****M****intemng****I****hysrsa.**

Mendez stared at the first riddle. What stood out? He stared at it for a while, then looked at Clyde. He grabbed a chair from one of the corners sat down and began his quest to solve the riddle.

_First one. There once was a star which shone really bright. However, in my eyes the color was dull. Was I just imagining things?_ Could Clyde have really done this at the age of two? _There once was a star…_ He stared for a long time at the letter. Something had to stick out somewhere. He read it again. Then five more times. He stared at the letter even harder. _There…_ Something stood out… _T__**h**__ere_…

The **H **was in bolded letters! He took the paper and stared to figure it out one letter at a time. Underlining all the bolded letters.

_T__**h**__ere __**o**__nce __**w**__as a st__**a**__r which shone__** r**__eally bright. How__**e**__ver, in m__**y**__ eyes the c__**o**__lor was d__**u**__ll. Was I just imagining things__**?**_

_**How are you?**_ That was Clyde's message to Halsey? He had figured the first one out! He stared at the second one.

There were five letters in capitals and three were believed to be Halsey, Clyde and Mendez. F and I? Five letters? He counted the letters in the riddle. One hundred letters… No he did not get it. This was not his division…

* * *

I hope this helped you. I updated pretty quickly and I am pretty happy about it. So yeah...remember, if I get enough reviews then I'll dedicate a whole chapter to your answers. Remember to show me your answers please just review them on. On your way to reviewing please tell me on what you think of the story so far. Thank-you and I'll try to update as soon as I can. --HatakeKaishi


	10. Chapter 10

Yep. Chapter 10 is up. I really hope you like it. It took me a while and well... that's it I guess. I really don't have much to say in this A/N because...well I don't really know. Well enjoy the chapter.

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CHAPTER 10

0550 Hours. November 30, 2525 (Military Calendar)/UNSC frigate _Commonwealth_ en route to the UNSC Damascus Materials Testing Facility, Planet Chi Ceti 4

The Spartans had been fitted for their armor. Project MJOLNIR had been a success. Clyde was still in the hospital though. Mendez had been trying his best to keep away from the Spartans eyes and ears. So far he was succeeding, but it was one helluva challenge. After all, the Spartans had enhanced speed, sight and hearing.

What was he going to do? He was going to work where the Spartans weren't allowed. Where the Spartans were forbidden to go to? That's exactly what he did.

The Spartans were forbidden from entering Clyde's room. So he stayed with Clyde. It was strange being in Clyde's room with Clyde being in such a vulnerable situation. He was more comfortable with Clyde when he was an obnoxious little brat. Now Clyde seemed…dead. It was really awkward.

He was trying hard to figure out the puzzle that Clyde had so graciously left him and Halsey. He had spent endless nights looking at the piece of paper. Sometime Halsey would be there to work with him. They still hadn't figured out the puzzle. Today was no different.

He and Halsey sat hunched over a table in the far back. Clyde was still unconscious, and Mendez didn't think that that would change at all. Boy was he ever wrong.

They had been working non-stop for two days. Halsey had come over after fitting the Spartans for their armor. Mendez was supposed to have left a while ago, but decided to stay with Halsey to help her with the code. Now some other officer was substituting and teaching the next batch of would-be Spartans. Some officer by the name of Strathmore. He really didn't know…or care for that matter.

They had been working for a long time and didn't notice or hear Clyde groaning.

"You hear that?" Mendez asked. He was sleepy. He didn't know why he hadn't slept yet.

"No…not really." Haley answered. "Why?"

"Nothing…I just thought I heard… Never mind." Then it came again. Mendez turned around. Clyde was turning in his bed. Clyde hadn't moved, let alone turned, in his bed, at any given time. Mendez stood up and walked towards Clyde.

"Where are you going?" Halsey asked without looking up.

"Just going to check out if Clyde is ok…" he answered.

"What do you mean? He's—" Halsey stopped as she had turned around to see what Mendez was about to do. "What the…" Clyde had turned on his side. He was hugging a pillow. The covers were over his head. The IV drip attached to his hand was beneath the covers instead of above like it had been a minute ago.

The lump of Clyde was slowly rising up and falling down. Mendez was the first to reach the bed. He removed the covers covering Clyde's face. Clyde's eyes were shut tight. His face was crunched up, as if he were having a nightmare. He was biting hard on his lower lip. He had bitten hard enough that blood was coming out of his lip. He was shaking. Halsey stood and walked over to Clyde as well.

She shook him slightly. She wanted to wake him up.

"You sure that's such a good idea?" Mendez asked.

"I want to wake him up. He's been sleeping for so long. I just…want to make sure he's ok." She continued to shake him. Soon he woke up. His mix-matched eyes seemed lifeless. He looked pale, well paler than usual. His hair was really messy and his clothes were all wrinkled.

He stared at them blankly, as if he didn't know or remember them.

"You ok Clyde?" Halsey asked. Clyde continued to stare. His eyes showed that he was still very tired. Mendez helped him sit up. His back was wet wit perspiration. He sat slumped on his bed. His hands on his lap. He stared at his hands, breaking eye contact with Halsey.

"Are you alright Clyde?" Halsey repeated her question. He looked up at her. His eyes showed that not only was he tired and seemingly lifeless but also very vulnerable at the moment. They had to be very careful handling him at the moment.

Mendez was shocked. This was defiantly _not_ the Clyde he was used to. The Clyde he had known was always smiling. Always had those kind soulful eyes. Always sat straight…well not always. Now those once life-filled eyes were hollow. Empty. Vacant. Void of any emotion.

Finally Clyde nodded. His head went up and down slowly. His eyes remained black, so did the rest of his face. He didn't show any emotion. This project was taking a huge toll on him. Mendez wasn't sure that this was such a good idea.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Halsey asked. Clyde's eyes finally showed some sort of emotion. Not the happy-go-lucky, I'm alive, sort of emotion. It was _fear_. He was _scared_. The question was, what exactly was he scared of? The nightmare? The penalty he was paying for Halsey's experiment? His inability to think straight?

Mendez wasn't sure, but he was pretty certain Clyde still wasn't able to think straight. He wondered how much of a price Clyde had to pay to keep his youth. How far was Halsey willing to go with this? How bad was Clyde's ability to think at the moment?

"Did you?" Halsey asked. Clyde nodded again. He clutched the blanket covering him hard. It wrinkled the once neatly ironed cloth. He was shaking again.

"Was it a really bad one?" Halsey asked. Clyde nodded again. Mendez just realized at the moment that Halsey was asking yes and no questions. Yes when Clyde nods and no when he shakes his head. She was trying to make this as simple as possible for him. His ability to form sentences was even working. That's how bad his ability to think was at the moment.

"Was it about you past?" Halsey asked yet another question. Another nod from Clyde. He was really scared now.

"Your parents?" Clyde started to shake his head, but changed his mind. He seemed unsure of how to answer. Perhaps his parents were in the nightmare but they weren't the main focus of the nightmare. Mendez didn't like this current position of Clyde.

"Your parents were in the nightmare?" Clyde nodded again.

"Were they dying? Were you watching them die? The person who killed you're parents were there? Your aunt and uncle? When you were kidnapped?" Tears formed in the vulnerable boy's eyes. He started to sob quietly. Halsey put him in an unbreakable embrace. She wanted to give him as much comfort as possible. Mendez realized that she hadn't mentioned a thing about the code he had left them.

He watched Clyde's shoulders shake as Halsey embraced him. It had been all about his past. He had been dreaming about what had happened a long time ago. All the events that had haunted him his whole life. All the things that he had tried to hide everyday of his life by smiling or shaking it off. All those demons had come back to haunt him. It made it worst since he was so defenseless. So unsure of what was happening around him. Mendez felt for the boy. He didn't know the pain, the agony, of having his parents killed in front of him. He didn't know what it was like to be so abused. To be so misunderstood by people around him. To be used as an object. To be a tool for war. To be considered a pet is some peoples eyes. He knew that he would never know.

After all, Mendez had been raised by wonderful parents. A couple who took great care for him. A couple who loved each other and their son. A couple who would do anything to make sure that their child would grow up wonderfully.

Clyde had parents who tried that, but it didn't work. He lacked something that most children had. A normal childhood. Mendez knew that the Spartans had also lost that, but they had been able to live normally for the first few years of their lives. Clyde was a weapon to be used. A weapon created by Colonel James Ackerson.

Soon Clyde had finished crying. An event that rarely would happen. Mendez doubted that he's see the young boy cry again. Halsey was wiping the tears off of Clyde's soaked cheeks.

After a few minutes, she broke out the question that the both of them had been wanting to ask Clyde for a very long time now.

"Clyde, what is the code you left for us?" The young boy looked up at her, puzzled. He wasn't sure was she was talking about. She walked over to the desk and took the paper. She rushed to Clyde's side. Giving him the paper. He stared at it for a while. It seemed that even he didn't know what it meant. The puzzled look on his face made Mendez's heart jump. _He didn't know what his own code was!_

Mendez looked at Halsey. She stared at him intently. She wasn't giving up just yet. Clyde just needed a little time, considering his current position. A small smile crept to the corners of Clyde's mouth. He was gave a small, tired smile. Then he whispered something.

"Caesar…" It was almost inaudible, but Mendez had heard it. _Caesar?_ What was Clyde talking about? Another code? No, damn it! They needed the answer! Halsey too looked confused, but she understood that Caesar was a clue. They needed to figure out how that would help them.

Clyde took a deep breath. He seemed really tired now. "Do you want to go back to sleep?" Halsey asked. Clyde nodded. She walked over to one of the cabinets and took out a small needle. The needle had clear fluid flowing about in it. She inserted the needle to Clyde's neck and injected the fluid. His eyes drooped. Halsey lay him down. She changed his wet clothes with fresh ones.

Mendez walked over to the table. Confused at what Clyde had said. Halsey followed suit after tending the young boy. Halsey sat beside Mendez. She whispered the same word.

"Caesar…"

"Salad dressing?" Mendez asked. "Or the king?"

"Neither…" she said with a sly grin. "It's amazing how I missed one of the most famous, widely used codes. It's also one of the oldest and you're correct when you said _king_. After all, this code was used by King Caesar himself…no, not only used, but created." She explained how the code worked. Mendez grinned.

"That son of a bitch is a genius. Slipped right under our noses." Mendez said.

"Yeah," Halsey said.

John was worried. He had seen neither hide nor hair of Clyde. Clyde had been in the infirmary for a very long time. He was never in the infirmary for a very long time. The other Spartans were also agitated by the fact that they hadn't seen Clyde in a very long time. Maybe he had been in a very bad accident. But the chances of that were low. Clyde was way too cautious to be caught in an accident that could cause him such a long trip to the hospital.

* * *

"Hey, you ok?" Sam asked. John nodded.

"Yeah, you've been really tense lately." Kelly added. She slugged him on the shoulder, hard. He frowned.

"I've been worried…that's all." John finally said.

"You mean about Clyde?" Kelly asked. He nodded.

"Aww, he's as tough as nails. Probably tougher than the chief!" Sam said. John gave a weak nod.

"It's nothing for you to worry about John." Kelly said putting a hand on his shoulder. "Dr. Halsey's got everything under control!"

"I sure hope so you guys." he answered. "I sure hope so."

* * *

The Julius Caesar Box. A code invented by Julius Caesar himself, thus the name. Mendez and Halsey had figured out the code. The key to decoding the Julius Caesar box was to, well, make a box.

The thing was the sum of the total number of characters had to be a perfect square, or a number whose square root is an integer. For example you have a nine letter message. You could use the Caesar box to encode or decode that. Like "How are you?" would like this encoded "Hayoroweu." So solve this one must put it into a box.

H a y

o r o

w e u

Read down wards you get howareyou. Put the spaces in and you get How are you. Thus solving the riddle.

Mendez and Halsey spent some time trying to figure out the riddle. There were one hundred letters, just as Mendez had counted earlier. They put it into groups of ten letter per row.

H d i l t p t a n d

a s m a h a h t u i

l o p y e s e i m t

s m o b s s g o b C

e e r e t w o a e l

y t t n a o l n r y

F h a e r r d d s d

o i n a s d e i r e

unttMintem

ngIhysrsa.

HalseyFoundsomethingimportantIlaybeneaththestarsMypasswordisthegoldenratioanditsnumbersreaditClydem. It read. They added the spaces.

"Halsey Found something important I lay beneath the stars My password is the golden ratio and its numbers read it Clyde m." Mendez read aloud.

"Ok he found something important. He wants me to read it. But I don't get the "I lay beneath the stars, my password is the golden ratio and it's numbers, part." Halsey said.

"Perhaps he means _the_ Golden Ratio and its number, which if I remember correctly is one point six one eight."

"Ok, that makes sense." Halsey said amazed that Mendez was able to figure it out so quickly. "What about the beneath the stars part though?"

There was a long pause. "I'm not sure." Mendez replied after a while. "I mean stars could mean anything. It could mean the stars like the ones in space."

"Or… the stars in his quarters." Mendez gave her a puzzling look.

"Remember the one time we entered his room and there was that scenery. It probably changes at night." Halsey said.

"Yeah…with stars."

They left the room in a rush, but carefully. Mendez, especially, didn't want any of the Spartans seeing him. Then a thought struck him.

"Wait…that happened a long time ago. In another place…" he said halfway there.

Halsey bit her lower lip. "Yeah that's true but _I_ haven't been truthful. While Clyde's been out of action I've been sneaking visits to his current quarters."

"And…" Mendez said his curiosity peaking.

"It still has the same virtual reality look to it…" she said. "You'll see soon enough." They arrived at Clyde's room. They slowly turned the knob and entered the room. Quietly, as not to disturb or alarm any wandering ears, they closed to door.

Mendez had his breath taken away yet again. The sight of the room was absolutely astounding. It was night time now. There were stars above, twinkling. They looked around the room. Feeling the walls looking for any hollow spots.

"There's nothing here…" Halsey said after a while. Mendez frowned.

"There has to be someplace. Maybe it's not even hidden in the floors or walls." They both looked around the room. There were cabinets around the room. A neatly made bed. A study desk with papers piled on top as well as a shut down computer. Papers overflowed from a nearby garbage can, some littered around from missed shots. There were papers pinned to the walls, some containing codes, letter and documents in different languages and others just diagrams for future project. They could not, however, find any sign of any stars.

Halsey sat at the foot of his bed, wrinkling the once neat blankets. Mendez was studying some of the woodwork. The bed had a headboard. There were shapes on it that Halsey couldn't quite make out in the dark. She dismissed the thought. It probably wasn't that important anyway.

Mendez, on the other hand, walked closer to the head board. There were shapes, defiantly. But they weren't just any shapes, like circles or triangles.

"Ma'am would you please come here?" Mendez asked gesturing Halsey over. She stood up and walked towards Mendez.

"What is it chief? I've already seen those shapes…" she said.

"Look closely." Mendez said pointing to one of the shapes. "What are they?"

Halsey squinted here eyes to get a better look. "Stars…" she mumbled. They looked under the bed. There lay a small box. It was metal, computerized. There was a padlock with number and letters. This was where they were supposed to type in the password. Halsey's fingers swiftly typed in the series of letters.

"Golden Ratio, 1.618. Cross your fingers chief. Hopefully this is correct." She hesitantly pressed the enter button. They heard a series of soft clicks as the mechanics inside the metal box moved to unlock the box. As soon as they had stopped Halsey gradually opened the lid. Inside was a bomb. One willing to explode if forced open or if the password had been wrong for more than five times. Other than the small bomb was a piece of paper. Not something Halsey had expected considering how much of a techie Clyde was. On the sheet of paper was a handwritten message. She carefully took it out. hoping of no other secret or hidden traps that would trigger the explosion of the bomb and the end of her and Mendez's life.

She slowly raised the paper up to the light Mendez had provided her with a flashlight he found in one of Clyde's drawers.

"I can't read it…" she said. They were quiet for a while.

"We need a mirror." Mendez suddenly blurted out.

"A what?" Halsey asked, hoping she had heard wrong.

"A mirror." Mendez repeated.

"You're kidding right?" she said. "Why would we need a mirror?"

"Look carefully at the writing. Don't some of the 'words' or 'letters' seem familiar?" Halsey looked at the paper again. This time carefully analyzing the letters.

"They're backwards…" she said. Mendez nodded. They walked over to the single mirror inside Clyde's washroom. They held it up against the mirror and read it.

* * *

I hope you guys and/or girls understand the concept of the Caesar Box. Well, I hope you enjoyes the chapter. Oh and yes. I know that the Caesar box isn't and exact box, but it was sort of hard.

Without wax,

I-HaTaKeKaIsHi-RaIkIrI-CoD3-I


	11. Chapter 11

Phew an update! Finally right! I know, I know, you've all been waiting for this...though I still haven't received any reviews, I know you're all out there. Really though, to inspire me to write, you must update. I've been feeling down lately...

I really do apologize fore not updating sooner. It's the end of the school year, sue me. It's really busy. I'm even surprised that I was able to write this. Anyway, thanks for everyone who is still quite committed to reading this story of mine. Chapter 11 I can't believe it! I feel so accomplished. So, I'll try to update soon...try ok? I hope you guys like this chapter! Read on my readers!

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CHAPTER 11

0850 Hours. December 16, 2525 (Military Calendar)/

UNSC frigate _Commonwealth_ en route to the UNSC Damascus Materials Testing Facility,

Planet Chi Ceti 4

_John stood in the middle of a playground. There were children playing around him. Tagging each other, laughing, smiling. What was he doing here? Suddenly he saw Sam and Kelly standing on the other side of the playground. He ran towards them, he was smiling too. Suddenly the scene changed. He was standing in the middle of a Covenant cruiser. Sam and Kelly held MA5's in their hands both shooting down Grunts. That's when John noticed the large shadowy silhouette of an Elite behind Sam._

"_Move, Sam!" he yelled. But Sam didn't move. He smiled and took the hit. Then everything faded. There was nothing. It was just…dark. Lonely. John fell to his knees and sobbed. _

"_Wake up John. I'm fine," Sam said. Sam was standing above John; back to his six year old body. "C'mon, Mendez'll be mad if we're late!" _

_Sam started to run. John stood and ran after him. "Wait! You're too fast!"_

"_Nah! You're just too slow!" They were both six, but something still didn't feel right. Again there was that silhouette. It held a plasma pistol. Aimed at John's chest, the creature fired. Sam moved in front of John and took it. In the chest. _

"_No!" John yelled. _

Then he woke.

"Wake up John!" Kelly was shaking him by the shoulders.

"Hrnn…I'm awake. What is it?" John asked.

"You're having nightmares again," she said sitting at the foot of his bed. "Was is about Sam?" she asked after a while. John nodded slowly.

"Listen, John, I feel sad about him too, but we have to get over it. We know now, that the Covenant can be stopped. We know that because of Sam. We can't keep living in the past. Sam died to show us that there are things that we have to sacrifice to continue on living and help humanity live this war," she said quietly.

"I've just been wondering though…" John said.

"Wondering about what?" Kelly asked.

"If Clyde were there, would it have changed anything? Would Clyde have been able to save Sam? And same would be here talking to us now and we wouldn't be talking about his death.

"I mean Clyde was the strongest and fastest of us all. Even after our augmentations he could still run faster than you, and that's saying something." Kelly gave a wan grin.

"I don't know if Clyde would have made a difference, John. But please, just keep in mind what I said." John nodded and smiled back. Kelly was right. They—no he, couldn't keep living life in regret. He wouldn't live his life in regret for his fallen comrade.

_____________________________________________________________________

Clyde woke up. He was sleepy still and wasn't sure how long he'd been sleeping for. He groggily opened his eyes. He found Halsey and Mendez looming over him.

"He awake? Is he in his right mind?" Mendez asked.

"Yes, I am awake…and what do you mean am I in my right mind?" Clyde asked. "Geez, that was a nice greeting…"

"Yeah, he's back," Halsey said. She seemed to be grinning but Clyde couldn't really tell. Everything was still too blurry. He blinked a couple of times and soon regained his normal vision, but something was different.

"Hey, is it just me or are you guys bigger?" Clyde asked.

"Bigger?" Halsey asked.

"Yeah…bigger…what did you do to me Halsey?" Clyde asked.

"You're ten again."

"T—Ten?" Clyde asked. He slowly sat and swung his legs off the bed. "These clothes are big…" he mumbled. He tried to stand but nearly fell. Mendez gave him support.

"Thanks…"

"Well, that's a good sign," Halsey said taking a seat at his bed.

"What? Me being unable to stand or being in my right mind?" Clyde asked struggle to stand straight. Again he nearly fell forward but Mendez caught him. Another word of gratitude.

"Both. The side effects are taking place. You're mind needs to get used to your body and you're brain hasn't forgotten anything."

"Sorry, but who am I again?" Clyde asked. His face really seemed to blank out. Halsey's face changed from smiling to a frown of concern.

"Just kidding!" Clyde said. "I remember who I am! Why wouldn't I?"

Halsey smiled. She turned and walked towards the desk where she and Mendez had been working so many times before. She took a white piece of paper off of it and walked towards Mendez and Clyde.

"What's this news about Ackerson?" she asked.

"So, you got the message I left you? Hmm…I didn't think you would…ah well. Anyway I was doing some…hacking. Now don't take that the wrong way alright? I was just checking the holes you have on you're account, speaking of which you really need to fix because there was a lot—"

"Just go on Clyde…" she said.

"Yes, right. Anyway, I was able to find an AI in your systems."

"An AI?" Mendez asked.

"Right, and not one of yours either. AI Araqiel."

"That's Ackerson's AI…" Halsey said.

"Mmhmm. Ackerson's been spying on you. I've gotten rid of Araqiel for you, fixed those bugs but I was talking about earlier," Clyde said. He sat back onto the bed. "Hey you got any food? I just realized I'm starved."

"Oh sorry." Mendez went over to a small refrigerator and grabbed a piece of bread. He gave it to Clyde who slowly started to nibble on it.

"Don't eat it all Clyde. You're stomach won't be able to take it all. Just bit by bit each day ok?"

"Right," Clyde said taking another bite.

"How much information did he get?" Halsey asked after a while.

"How much did who get?" Clyde asked chewing. He seemed to have already forgotten their subject.

"Ackerson, Clyde. How much information did he get?"

"Oh," Clyde wiped his mouth, "not much really. I was able to stop Araqiel before he was able to find out too much. Though I decided to do a little payback…"

"What did you do Clyde?" Halsey asked. She knew she was going to regret asking.

"I sent a Trojan… and was tracking what he was doing," Clyde said taking another bite. Halsey grabbed the bread.

"No more," she said. She gave the half-eaten bread to Mendez.

"What?! C'mon…I'm still hungry…" Clyde said grumbling. Halsey pushed Clyde back down onto the bed.

"C'mon Clyde, just trust me on this ok?" Clyde frowned. He really did look cute as a ten year old. He had that pouting face that only such innocents had…except Clyde wasn't all that innocent.

"One more question," Halsey said.

"Oh?" Clyde asked. "Will I get to eat more if I answer?" Halsey cut the already half bread in half.

"What? Only half of half?" Clyde asked.

"It's either this or nothing. I could easily find out what the answer to my question was."

"And how, exactly, doctor, do you propose on doing that?" Clyde asked.

"I have my ways." She had that glint in her eyes and Clyde didn't like it. She waved the bread in front of his face. He eyeballed it as it went back and forth and so on. He swallowed. _It wasn't fair…_

"Fine, I give up. I'll answer whatever question it is you have," Clyde said, defeat in his small voice.

"Right. Here it goes then. How exactly did you pay Ackerson back?"

"Like I said a Trojan. The Trojan has been tracking whatever he's been doing. You can check it out if you want. After all, I did it in a secret file. Password is ACKSUX. User is QWERTY," Clyde said. "Can I have the food now?"

"Wait one more question," Halsey said.

"You said one question!" Clyde exclaimed. "But fine whatever…"

"Why QWERTY and what's ACKSUX?" she asked.

"QWERTY is the name of the keyboard I used…duh. And ACKSUX…figure that one out. It isn't too hard," he said. He stared at the bread hungrily.

"Here," she said giving it to him. His small hands grabbed it. He started to eat it slowly. Halsey sat on his bedside. She slowly stoked his silver-ish black hair. He soon started to yawn. He fell asleep. Why wouldn't he. After all, she'd mixed in some sleeping drugs with his food. She and Mendez quietly left the room.

"Where are you going?" Mendez asked. Halsey was walking away.

"To check this thing out," she replied. Mendez sighed and caught up with the woman. He decided he'd better come anyway…not that he'd be too useful.

_____________________________________________________________________

They arrived at one of the computer rooms. Halsey sat in front of one of the dark screens. She booted them up and they all came flickering to life.

**Log In:**

**Password:**

She typed in the user and the password.

"QWERTY and ACKSUX…" she mumbled.

Mendez couldn't help but laugh. He got the puzzle.

"What?" Halsey asked. She turned the chair and looked face to face with Mendez.

"Heh, the password," he said grinning.

"What about it?" Halsey asked.

"I got it," Mendez said, smiling even bigger. How could she not get this? She was the doctor, not him.

"A-C-K-S-U-X" she said.

"Ackerson sucks," Mendez said laughing. Halsey raised an eyebrow, but smiled in spite of herself.

"Of course," she said turning her attention back to the computer. She and Mendez waited a while as the computer processed the information.

Suddenly the documents and files spilled out in front of them. There were folders, all coded with numbers, letters, symbols, Chinese characters, hieroglyphs, and other symbols Halsey wasn't quite familiar with.

"Which one do we open?" Mendez asked.

"I'm not sure…" Halsey replied. "There may be a virus in any of them, maybe all of them. I'm pretty sure they're all password protected though." They heard a young, fearless, and strong voice from the speakers.

"Welcome. My name is QWERTY," the voice said. A figure appeared in front of them. Halsey and Mendez examined the holographic figure carefully.

"An AI," Mendez whispered in astonishment.

"Correct Chief Petty Officer Mendez," the figure said. QWERTY genuinely crossed his arms, and gave a quirky grin. Very Clyde-like. He was a shadowy character. Halsey wasn't sure what the AI was based on but is had spiky white "hair" and the bottom half of his "face" was covered with a "mask". He "wore" baggy pants and a loose fitting t-shirt. Definitely a custom made AI by Clyde.

"Now, how can I help you? I was assuming you would be visiting soon," he said. "Clyde had warned me of an earlier visit. You have no idea how long I was waiting in there for!"

"What did Clyde want us to find?" Halsey asked.

"Me!" the AI replied. "You were supposed to find me! I'm the Trojan…well I'm an AI. I was made to keep track on whatever Colonel Ackerson was doing. I was created to be sneaky and improvising if need be."

"Have you been caught?" Halsey asked.

"Nope!" QWERTY exclaimed. He did a small flip. "I'm really good at not being caught!" Halsey smiled. The childlike carelessness of the AI was so…innocent. It was…so…young. The AI was a child. It was based on a child. However, she knew, what lay underneath that innocence was the mind of a genius.

QWERTY "sat." "Well…" he said. "Did you want to see what I've been working on?" QWERTY asked.

"Yes, but before that one question," Halsey asked.

"Yes doctor?" QWERTY said "standing" or more floating, on the table surface.

"What would have happened if we opened any of these folders?"

"Well, first, I would be alerted. Then I usually check who opens me, if the opener is an unknown user or an un-authorized user, I automatically shut down. I send an alert to Clyde and he'll usually figure the rest out.

"However with his current situation I've been put in charge of figuring out or fixing any bugs or problems within the software. After the shut-down process the user cannot open me or any of my folders again."

"I see…" Halsey said.

"So, shall we get on with the information?" QWERTY asked.

"Yes, please do QWERTY," Halsey said. Suddenly a bunch of information appeared in front of her and Mendez. There was a lot, it would take her forever to read it all…well not forever.

"Here you go doctor, would you like me to summarize the information?" QWERTY asked. "Clyde is very cautious with security; some of this information may be misleading. In case someone were to override me."

"Yes, please do summarize QWERTY," Halsey said relieved. Thank-God.

"Basically these are my records of what I've found on Colonel Ackerson. There have been mysterious messages between two people. CODENAME: SURGEON and CODENAME: COALMINER. They seem to be discussing the SPARTAN project and Operation: HYPODERMIC. These two, I believe are ONI operatives. SURGEON in my assumption is Ackerson. COALMINER remains unidentified.

"I don't think they've been able to see my intrusions, but they've added security. I want to confide in Clyde before I make any other moves."

"Yes, I see," Halsey said. "Clyde wanted to inform me about this because…"

"Because one of these two or both have been hacking into your files. But I guess Clyde's told you all about that right?" QWERTY asked.

"Yes," Halsey replied, "he has."

"Good. Well, Clyde's been pretty suspicious lately about the colonel. He wasn't sure, but there was a gut-feeling that wouldn't stop bothering him. He had a feeling that someone wanted to take over the SPARTAN project.

"That's how I was created. Clyde was fixing your bugs one day and he realized that someone's been into your files…other than himself. He created me to keep watch. He knew of the project you were going to do on him."

"I see. So he assumes that Ackerson is this person?"

"Oh he didn't assume. He was pretty sure of it. After all, the AI that was in your files was Ackerson's."

"Which AI would that be?" Halsey asked.

"Araqiel…" QWERTY said. "That guy scares me…"

"He scares me too," Halsey said. "And you…"

"I was able to keep him away. You have no idea what I had to do. The password changes, the firewalls, encryptions, and cryptographs. Yeesh, even a smart AI would have trouble with this."

"Are you a smart AI?" Halsey asked.

"No, I was just created to be a pain in the butt. It's actually in my hardware to be a pain the butt, just who I am."

Halsey smiled. "Well thank-you for all your help QWERTY."

"No problem doctor," the young AI said. He grinned again. "Oh and please, do remind Clyde about whether I should keep intruding their files."

"Will do," Mendez said. With that the AI disappeared. As did the files.

"What do we do now?" Mendez asked.

"We wait until Clyde wakes up. We have to treat him," Halsey said standing.

"What about Ackerson?" Mendez asked. He was pretty worried about that.

"What about him?" the doctor asked. She left the room, Mendez followed close behind.

* * *

I wonder...was it too short? If it was I apologize, if not...then I retract that statement. Seriously though, I hope you guys liked it.

Did you like my made up AI? QWERTY? We were doing computer projects and studying parts of a computer. QWERTY keyboard just wouldn't get out of my head so I used it. Oh and QWERTY is loosely based on Kakashi Hatake from Naruto, apperance-wise. So I hope you guys liked it. Please review.

Without Wax,

I-HaTaKeKaIsHi-RaIkIrI-CoD3-I


	12. Chapter 12

_Hey all. Chapter 12 is up. Sorry I haven't updated in forever. I've been having trouble with writers block. Quite troublesome. Really irksome. As I said in my profile I might not be able to update as quickly because of my writers block and the fact that I'm going through some school stuff now that the year's started. I'm just thankful I was able to get this out before the whole craze of homework and such. Well anywho let's just get this chapter started. I haven't started chapter thirteen so please don't expect a quick update. Also it was delayed because of the fact I rewrote it so many time, at least the beginning of the chapter. _

_Please note of the fact that from here on out I am **not** going to keep track of the timeline becasue of the fact that I'm not all to familiar to all the locations in Halo. After all I'm not that big of an avid fan. Apologies in advance to the people who like the timeline thing at the beginning of each chapter._

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CHAPTER 12

Ten Years Later

John looked around. He wasn't sure exactly what was happening but he and his Spartans had been called for a meeting. His Spartans stood around waiting for something or someone to explain to them why they were here. John called Kelly over.

"What do you think is happening?" he asked her.

"No idea, sir," she said. "But is has to be one helluva meeting because I hear that Clyde's the one that called it."

"Clyde?" John asked. Kelly nodded.

John looked around again, this time more carefully, just to see if he could spot anyone different. The room was large. It was size of a docking station for the Halcyon-Class ships. There were large two-way walls that could be opened from their side or the other side. It was a strange meeting place.

Little by little more people came. Soon there were a whole bunch of people. Techies, Air Force members, Navy personnel, and Marines came piling in. Most of which, were Captains, Colonels, Sergeant Majors, Senior Chief Petty Officers and such. At about an hour the place was half full. Each rank stuck with such. It was much like a school yard…except there instead of jocks and nerds it was dispersed jocks. Air jocks here, space jocks here, computer jocks here and ground jocks here. Then there were the Spartans. Completely stuck out they did. They weren't wearing they're MJOLNIR armor so it made John and most likely all the other Spartans feel uncomfortable as most of the eyes veered towards them.

John cautiously watched as a man walked towards them. The man was slightly old. His hair was graying and there were small wrinkles on his forehead.

"Hello," the man said grinning at John. He stuck his hand out to shake the Spartan's. "I assume you the leader of this group?"

"Yes, sir," John replied shaking the man's hand. The man looked familiar. Why was that?

"Well, I'd just like to welcome you to this meeting. I'm Admiral Preston Cole," the admiral said.

Right. That's who he was. The admiral who invented the Cole Protocol. The man was regarded to be a hero. "Thank-you, sir," John said. Not much was said afterward. The admiral just asked a couple questions, to which, most John answered to the best of his ability…and to what was classified, he told the story he was taught.

Thirty minutes passed, then an hour. When finally four people entered the room. John watched as a woman, two men and a young boy enter the room. Dr. Halsey, CPO Mendez, Admiral Standforth and Clyde. Clyde was fifteen. Nine years younger than John and most of the other Spartans.

Dr. Halsey looked the same…just a little older. She wore glasses and a white lab coat. She held a clipboard in one hand and was writing notes none stop. Her hair was tied up in a neat bun. She made no sound as she entered the room. She was a smart outstanding figure, but of course she would be wouldn't she.

CPO Mendez was older now. His hair was completely grey, but he still had the physique he had when John first met him. He still had the stern and serious face. He walked with authority. John wondered what the CPO had been up to since they finished training with him. There were scars that John had never seen before running from the chief's brow to his chin. That looked like it hurt.

Then there was Admiral Standforth. He, much like the previous, was old as well. He still had the spacewalk. Shame really, but he still had the air of authority behind him, much like CPO Mendez. However, unlike the chief, he didn't seem so serious, and he wasn't as nicely built. He had a small grin on his face when he walked in. He seemed to be happy about something. Was that something about this meeting?

Last of all was Clyde. Unlike the others he didn't seem to age. John didn't know what they'd been doing to Clyde but one time John would see Clyde as a twenty year old then he'd age down to a fourteen year old. Clyde wore a black polo, long sleeved shirt. There was an emblem on each of his shoulders. One had two crossed swords behind a howling wolf. The other had an eagle with spread wings with stars circling it. The emblems had changed over the years, but this was the most recent. Clyde's mix-matched eyes were behind glasses. The glasses seemed to shine, and then John noticed that the glasses were actually screens. Information seemed to scroll across the lenses. Headphones sat around Clyde's neck, the wire went down his shirt and into a pants pocket. He wore cargo camouflage pants. His hands stuffed in the pockets. His blackish-silver hair was messy and definitely longer than regulations permitted.

They reached a stage stationed in front of the large two way walls. The admiral came in front of the microphone first and called everyone's attention.

"Welcome all," he said. "You're all probably wondering on why we called you all here." Murmurs spread across the room. _Of course that's what we're all wondering,_ John thought.

"Well," the admiral said continuing, "we've—sorry I mean Commander Miyazaki, has been working on a project that will the way that we fight in and out of space completely. This project will take it to the next generation. This technology that Clyde was able to come up with is quite advanced, but he has done what he can in his ability to make the function of this new technology as smooth as possible and as easy as possible to learn.

"So without further ado, I welcome Commander Clyde Miyazaki to the stage," Standforth stepped back and let Clyde walk to the front. Clyde took his time to check out his audience. It was huge.

"Christ, Standforth, I thought you said you were inviting only a couple of people," said Clyde scratching the back of his head. He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

"Well, people," Clyde started, "as you all know we're…losing this war between the Covenant and ourselves. This is a _bad_ thing. You see the thing is, if we lose, there will be no more humanity. If we're taking a test right now we are flunking horribly in space battle. What we need, is to raise that F to an A.

"This project I've been working on has been top-priority and classified from everyone but me, Doctor Halsey and the few techs that were helping us out. In all honesty, Admiral Standforth only found out about this today. This next-gen project has taken me years to complete. Longer than a lot of most of my previous projects and experiments. However as of a couple years ago, I noticed that our space weaponry was really out-dated and that space travel is far too inaccurate. This all means that whenever when we're in space we are sitting ducks."

The crowd murmured in agreement. "Yeah, yeah, I know. So, what can we do to fix this crisis? We get an upgrade. How do we do that? With a whole lot of research and lots of money. Right now, I am about to show you my greatest creation yet. Please don't move towards my projects for it will defiantly just be such a bother.

"So now, without further ado. Project GUNDAM."

Slowly the large walls split apart. Something metallic glimmered from the other side, but it wasn't fully visible yet. After about five minutes, the project was fully visible. Machine there were five columns and eight rows of large machines. Each was different, but the one at the very front seemed to be activated.

Everyone looked in awe at the gigantic machines. Clyde grinned. Of course. This was how they were supposed to react. If they hadn't reacted this way _Clyde_ would have been the one in awe…and that didn't happen all too often. That sort of event would have to have been recorded.

"Wait a minute. There are only eighty of these machines!" One of the admirals interjected.

"Yeah, yeah I know! Listen, I've done the testing and these aren't proto-types. The proto-types were tested by normal marines. That _did not_ work out…"

"What are you trying to say here, Clyde?" Admiral Cole asked. "That you created large robots that our marines can't even use?"

"Now, I said that only the marines couldn't use them," pointed out Clyde.

"So who's supposed to use them?" Admiral Cole asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"The Spartans obviously. Now when I first made these babies they were supposed to work for everyone. As we tried the prototypes with the marines, they were overwhelmed with the controls. Some even sort of…well, died because they accidentally overloaded the drive with all the commands they were accidentally typing in. Quite a shame really."

"So what the hell are _we _supposed to do? Not every damn ship is going to have a Spartan on bored with this…" another Admiral stopped as he couldn't find the right word to describe the large machine.

"Mobile-suit," Clyde said. "And jeez you're pushy. Fine, I'll just explain the mobile suits to you more later and I'm not stupid you know. Of course not every 'damn ship' won't have a Spartan. So, I've some up with these." Clyde opened another wall.

"And behind wall number two are the Skygraspers," Clyde said. Large, fighter-jet like, machines. They were huge, the cockpit was on the top.

"As you can see the Skygraspers are very similar to fighter jets. Cockpit on top, and such with the shape. These are support mobile armor. They not only have to ability to fight on their own, but they are extremely useful, to help deliver packs, which will be explained later, to the mobile suits. Piloting this is relatively simple, but will still need training. The form is quite small, which makes it quick and agile and also much harder to hit. Now see this here Admiral Cole is my Christmas present for the marines," Clyde said grinning. The admiral smiled. Genius brat.

"But, I'm not quite done yet. You see if the air/space force and the Spartans get a Christmas present then what about the navy crews? I mean you admirals and captains would want something new too right? Well, here we go." A third wall started to open up. There was only one machine. It was half the size of a destroyer.

"This is an assault ship. I've tried to design them so that the controls on our normal ships would be similar to the ones on this assault ship. Basically however you would work your destroyers or carriers you would work this. Called LCAM-04X9, or for short, Seraph.

"We now have something for space, but ground battle, too, is quite weak. As we all know the Spartans already have their advantages. Here, I show you, is quite amazing for the marines." Mendez came out holding a rifle, his head covered by a helmet. His armor was normal.

"Yeah, doesn't look like much, but the helmet is actually similar to the Spartans HUD. Tells you where your enemies are, and specifically categorizes what kind of enemy you are about to face. As long as heat is emitted from the creature you get a blood type analysis thanks to the blood that we've gathered from the corpses of the aliens. The same upgrade will indeed be added to the Spartans MJOLNIR armor. Hopefully this will help big time as to whether marines should attack or stay back and regroup.

"If you would please, would the commanders, captains and admirals who own ships please go over to the _Seraph_. Would the marines, meaning everyone, except the Spartans and the people I've already called, please go to the Skygrapsers."

Everyone started to scatter. Standforth went with the first group to show them exactly what the _Seraph_ was able to do. Hopefully Standforth would remember everything considering he had just been briefed this morning.

Mendez went with the second group. Showing them the helmets that Clyde had showed last, and hopefully, he too would remember, since he too, was just briefed this morning.

Clyde walked over to the Spartans accompanied by Halsey.

"Spartans," he said greeting shaking John's hand.

"Sir!" John had replied, saluting.

"Oh, please none of that shitty formalities with me. I thought you knew that I hated that sort of stuff," Clyde said grinning. "So how've you guys been?"

"Fine, sir," John replied.

"No 'sirs' either. It's weird because I'm…'younger' than you, so just Clyde ok?"

John grinned. Clyde hadn't changed at all. He was still the young, immature brat that everyone looked up to for help…or in the Spartan's case down.

"Well, shall we?" Halsey asked.

"I think we shall," Clyde replied. "Please follow us Spartans."

The Spartans followed Clyde and Halsey towards the large machines or 'mobile suits.'

"Well, so you guys basically heard the gist of things back there about the marines not being able to use these babies. Basically they just don't have your reflexes. Anyway the one you see standing right in front of you is mine. ZGMF-D17C or _Valor_ for short. You see the cockpit is right in the centre, so avoid getting hit there." A large 3-d holograph in front of them appeared, via Clyde's PDA.

"See here is a life-size holograph of the cockpit. It isn't that roomy, it's actually quite stuffy. You see all these buttons around?" They gathered closer to look. "Yeah, they're all commands. It's sort of like a FPS video-game…just a lot more buttons and the rules are a little altered. You're MJOLNIR armor will synchronize with this so basically it makes it way easier for you. MJOLNIR will receive instructions on how to do whatever. All you have to do is think it and the mobile suit and MJOLNIR will do it.

"Any questions, because that's basically it."

"What are they equipped with?" John asked.

"You just want to make my job hard don't you…though it is a good question. Alright check this out." The holograph changed and a small rifle appeared.

"You see from the information I've gathered from the Covenant I was able to mix our technology with theirs. This model is much smaller compared to the ones on the mobile suits but you'll get the gist of it anyway. This is MA-BAR73/S or a beam rifle since its official name is such a mouthful. Basically you just pull the trigger just like all our weapons." The holograph changed again. This time a metallic, cylindrical object appeared. A handle.

"Here is a beam saber. It's basically a sword. You know for close range combat…or cutting the Covenant ships in half! No but really. These are pretty useful if you don't want to use the beam rifles for banshees and such."

"These two are the main weapons but you've also got shields on these things. Most of the other weapons on the GUNDAM's are based on these two weapons. You'll see different variations like perhaps daggers or such…but I don't see why I'd ever create a dagger. You'll see our human weapons turned into weapons large enough for the mobile suits. Sooner or later, preferably the former, we'll have pistols and such. Right now these are the two main weapons aside from a couple shoulder, helmet, and chest weapons.

"Any other questions?" Clyde asked hoping for none more. Silence.

"Good, alright guys just pick one."

"Anyone?" Kelly asked.

"Yes…" Clyde said exaggerating the word. "Oh, but first go get your armor. It would work better."

The Spartans went off and changed and in thirty minutes they were back in fill armor. Each picked they're own. John picked the one behind Clyde's.

"Name them if you like," Clyde said from a speaker. "It would be beyond bothersome to say the letters and words to describe a certain mobile suit.

John thought for a second. What should he name his? It was like a…pet. He thought for a moment. He was honest and cared for justice. That was it…_Integrity_.

"Alright Spartans listen carefully ok? Carefully follow these instructions or you'll end up like those stupid marines who think they're too good to listen to a fifteen year old.

"Anyway if you go over to the right leg of the machine you'll find that there's a small button, click it."

The Spartans did and as they were told and a small holographic computer screen and keyboard appeared. The screen showed a couple things on it. Name, password and a whole bunch of other information.

"Please fill in your name, put in a password, put in your Mobile Suit's name, then enter. A blank screen will appear afterwards, put our palm to it and enter again," Clyde instructed.

"Done? Good, this is just for security measures so that no one can take your GUNDAM from you."

A large rope slowly fell from the mobile suit's cockpit as the Spartans finished. John went around to the front and grasped the rope slowly examining it. There was a small hoop tied at the end.

"Ok, now take the ropes Spartans and put your foot through that whole. Once it feels the pressure it will automatically raise you to the cockpit. Oh and don't worry, the rope is really strong so no worries about your armor weighing it down and snapping it."

John stepped into the loophole and immediately the rope started to pull him up. The cockpit opened up and John stepped inside. Immediately the controls came to life. A wire attached to the back of his helmet and immediately he was given instructions and safety procedures. He grinned, this was good…very good.

An alarm suddenly sounded. Clyde looked away from the monitors and glanced out the window of the ship. Covenant cruisers. Damn…then again…

"Spartans, first missions with the mobile suits. You want to try them out?" Clyde asked.

John was the one to answer. "Yes, sir!"

"Well then, here's your chance. We've got some Covenant ships ready to get their asses whipped. Now, if you would please exit, and no pushing, these scratch easily. Remember to keep this in mind Spartans, what you think, they do."

Clyde stared as the large machines took off one by one. He grinned.

"Are you sure about this Clyde?" Halsey asked. "This is they're first time getting on the GUNDAM's they haven't even explored the controls."

"Oh loosen up will you doctor? Besides, the Spartans can manage on their own, after all who created the machines, hmm?" Clyde watched the battle start as he sat in one of the seats. Front row, joy.

John was beside himself with joy. Finally he and the Spartans could do something about all the massive losses in space. They could now make a bigger difference. He and the other Spartans floated in space with their mobile suits. Soon they were joined by the several Skygrapsers from the other docking station. He thought of pulling out his rifle and the GUNDAM did suit. This was going to be interesting. He and the other Spartans took off towards the Covenant cruisers, no way in hell were they going to lose this battle.

He watched as a bright red light began to grow at one of the battle ships. The beams often to time to charge so he had time. There were other Covenant ships launching from the bays. His helmet scanned and locked on to many of the ships indicating on where they might go and the speed they were going at. He fired and soon all of the ships were metal bundles in space.

The Skygrapsers took off in a V-formation, firing. They were doing alright too for they're first time out flying.

After about an hour John stopped moving. The place was silent. He and the other Spartans were motionless. They stared at the remains of the battlefield. There were several bodies, and left over metals. Chunks of the Covenant ships floated around. They didn't lose a single man.

John closed his eyes and sighed…a short and easy battle. No one on his side had died. With this technology they could win…and no more sacrifices like Sam had to be made.

* * *

_Again a note to all the people who read this that an update may not happen as quickly as you may hope for it to come. Again I give my sincere apologies._


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